Impact - One Warm Coat

Our Values
Coat Drive Program
Nonprofit Partners
Zero Waste Initiative
Corporate Sponsors
Financial Highlights
Support One Warm Coat’s mission with a donation

Introducing A New Logo and Refreshed Look

After three decades of sharing warmth and kindness by fostering a culture of community involvement and volunteerism across the country, One Warm Coat recognized the need for a refreshed visual identity that reflects how our organization has grown and how the world has evolved.

Every design decision was thoughtfully made to illustrate the core tenets of One Warm Coat’s mission:

Three Green Arrows: Symbolizing fashion circularity and sustainability.
Yellow Heart on the Coat Breast: A small but powerful symbol of kindness and community.
Puffy Coat with Hands in Pockets: Representation of physical warmth.

This rebrand is a visual expression of One Warm Coat’s enduring mission to provide free coats to children and adults in need while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability. It also represents our organization’s future: one that continues to embrace warmth, community, and sustainability — one coat at a time.

Warmth Starts with One

Founded in 1992 by one woman with one coat to give, One Warm Coat is a national movement born from one simple act of kindness. Today, One Warm Coat is a thriving national nonprofit organization that maintains a steadfast commitment to humanitarianism, volunteerism, and environmental sustainability.

One Warm Coat strives to make a tangible difference in people’s lives by providing comfort and hope to those who need it most.

Our Values

We believe

in the basic right to protection from the cold.

We provide

coats to people in need, free of charge and without discrimination or obligation.

We treat

the people we serve with dignity and respect.

We promote

sustainability through the reuse, repurposing and responsible consumption of outerwear

We create

connections in local communities by fostering volunteerism.

We appreciate

and honor our volunteers and donors.

Kindness Starts With One

With a deep-seated belief in the power of collective action, One Warm Coat engages and supports thousands of volunteers each year to collect coats for children and adults in need.

Last fall and winter, 4,624 individuals and organizations held coat drives, collecting 454,667 coats for people in need in local communities across the country.

🏆 Introducing… The Warmies! 🏆

We’re honoring the incredible individuals and organizations that go above and beyond to bring One Warm Coat’s mission to life through special awards we call the Warmies.

Congratulations to the 2024 winners:

Best New Brand Partner: MOD Pizza

Mod Pizza made an AMAZING impact during their first year teaming up with One Warm Coat!

Through a holiday gift card promotion and February point-of-sale donations, Mod Pizza and their fantastic customers donated $54,769 to support One Warm Coat’s mission. Plus, they donated more than 9,000 pizzas to our nonprofit partners across the country.

“We are honored to receive the ‘Warmies’ Best New Brand Partner award, especially within our first year of working alongside One Warm Coat,” said Jenn Anderson, chief marketing officer at MOD Pizza. “Their impact is much more than providing warmth through coats – it’s about helping our fellow neighbors, which is a value MOD Pizza has built its brand upon. We’re looking forward to even more success in our partnership and providing support throughout the communities we call home.”

Impact Award: Parsec, Inc.

During their 3rd annual coat drive last fall, Parsec, Inc. held drives at 16 office locations, collecting an impressive 7,284 coats for their community!

Bridgette Shaw, Talent Manager, said: “Organizing the Parsec winter coat drive was driven by a deep desire to make a tangible difference in the communities that our Parsec employees live and work in every day. The experience of volunteering alongside dedicated individuals has been profoundly rewarding, reminding me that together, we can create a ripple effect of kindness. Each coat we collected represents not just warmth for those in need, but also the shared commitment of our team to uplift and support our neighbors during the coldest months.”

Golden Apple Award: Warren Township Schools 4th and 5th grade Student Leaders

Warren Township Schools 4th and 5th grade Student Leaders planned and organized Coats that Vote, an activity the student body could vote on with their coat donations. Student Leaders visited classrooms to talk about the benefits of giving and generosity. Then the student body voted on a Pajama Day, Dance Party or Bring Your Stuffed Animal to School Day by donating their coats to a specific bin.

The school collected 148 coats and won a pajama day!

Small Business Coat Drive Award: The Millar Law Firm

The Millar Law Firm, based in Atlanta, Georgia, has been holding a One Warm Coat Drive for more than 10 year! Bruce Millar shared they hold a drive “because no one should have to face the cold without a warm coat. It’s a simple way to make a real difference for individuals and families in our community, and that’s something The Millar Law Firm always stands behind.”

This year, they provided warmth for nearly 200 people, bringing their total impact to more than 10,000 warmed!

Youth Service Award: Girl Scout Daisy Troop 20487

Girl Scout Daisy Troop 20487 collected 70 coats from friends, neighbors, and donation bins at their elementary school. Their Troop leader shared, “The troop also created handmade cards to place in the pockets of the coats, providing each recipient with an uplifting and caring message. Giving back to the community is a primary tenet for the troop, and the girls enjoy participating in service-driven activities!”

The Troop donated their coats to the Human Needs Food Pantry, located in Montclair, NJ. Human Needs Food Pantry feeds and supports 900 families per week in the area and was grateful for the coat donation, which they said would be distributed immediately.

Employee Coat Drive Award: Trace3

Five Trace3 offices and many remote employees participated in their 2024 coat drive, donating more than 200 coats and nearly $8,000, including a dollar-for-dollar corporate match!

They said, “At Trace3, our mission is to lift and secure the lives of our people, partners, clients, and communities. As part of that commitment, we chose to partner with One Warm Coat to share warmth and give back to those in need. This initiative is a meaningful way for us to come together and live out our mission—supporting our local communities with compassion and purpose.”

Creativity Award: SFS Architecture

SFS Architecture, based in Kansas City, MO, creatively shares warmth with their Chili vs. Chilly coat drive! Employees enjoy a chili cook-off competition and vote on their favorite with a coat or dollar donation. Over the past 6 years, they have shared warmth with more than 2,500 children and adults through the Chili vs. Chilly competition.

Marsha Hoffman, Senior Principal, said “SFS is proud to support One Warm Coat, driven by our belief in fostering warmth, compassion, and connection within our community. Each contribution to this cause is a reminder of the collective impact we can make, especially during the colder months, by coming together to support those in need. For us, it’s about more than donating coats. It’s about sharing dignity, comfort, and a sense of belonging with our neighbors.”

Distinguished Volunteer Award 2024: Danielle Brosan

The One Warm Coat team is thrilled to present the 2024 Distinguished Volunteer Award to Danielle Brosan.

Danielle has organized One Warm Coat drives with her employer, The Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System, for over 10 years, sharing warmth with more than 6,000 people in and around Loudoun County, VA.

Each year, from October through December, coats and other warm items are collected at fire and rescue stations throughout Loudoun County. The donated items are given to local nonprofit Mobile Hope, which provides support and emergency shelter to youth up to age 24 who are at-risk, precariously housed, or homeless.

Danielle shared “The warmth of a coat provides not just physical shelter from the cold, but a sense of dignity and care that everyone deserves. When I organize coat drives with One Warm Coat and Mobile Hope Loudoun, I’m not just collecting garments—I’m gathering hope, distributing respect, and weaving a stronger community fabric. Each coat represents a connection between neighbors who may never meet but who share in the fundamental belief that no one should face winter’s chill alone.”

Giving Tuesday 2024

On a frigid Giving Tuesday in New York City, One Warm Coat teamed up with our nonprofit partner House of Good Deeds and 40 amazing volunteers to share warmth and kindness. Together, we distributed 1,000 free coats to adults and children, along with food and other essentials. This initiative provides much-needed warmth to individuals experiencing homelessness or living in economic distress. We were inspired by all of the beautiful people we met – it was a day filled with purpose, heart, and community.

Thank you to the incredible volunteers from Free Country, RRDA Content + Creative, Vodafone, The RealReal, Apparis, Starwood Capital Group, and OWCBoard Members Lisa Bull & Amrita Dutta-Gupta!

A special thank you to filmmaker Jordan Tenenbaum for donating his services and capturing amazing footage!

Community Starts With One

One Warm Coat shares warmth with people in need through a network of more than 1,500 local nonprofit organizations in communities across the country. Any 501c3 organization or school is eligible to receive free coats as long it is in good standing with the IRS and signs a commitment to give the coats away for free and without discrimination. One Warm Coat provides warmth for our nonprofit partners’ clients, enabling them to direct their valuable resources towards their primary mission.

Each spring, One Warm Coat surveys our nonprofit partners to better understand their needs and how we can help. This spring, in our annual survey of nonprofit partners, 84% of respondents reported that they anticipate an increased need this fall and winter.

We’re proud to shine a spotlight on a few of our amazing nonprofit partners:

Hearts with Hands – Swannanoa, NC

We are so grateful to One Warm Coat! Following Hurricane Helene our non-profit was providing essential supplies to families in need. As the cold air arrived, so did an amazing donation of new coats and sweatpants from Dicks Sporting Goods in partnership with One Warm Coat. The joy on each recipient’s face was priceless. It was a true treasure they had been gifted! We felt so blessed to be able to have these coats to give to those in need during the cold months in Asheville and surrounding areas!

AHARI – Philadelphia, PA

AHARI’s experience receiving and distributing the 660 coats and shoes donated by One Warm Coat was incredibly impactful for the community. The donation allowed AHARI to provide essential winter clothing to veterans’ children, schools, and churches reinforcing our commitment to serving vulnerable populations. For low-income families and individuals experiencing homelessness, these items not only provided warmth but also restored a sense of dignity and comfort. This partnership with One Warm Coat highlighted the power of community support and aligned with AHARI’s mission to provide essential resources for underserved populations.

Harvest Compassion Center – Phoenix, AZ

Over the past few years, One Warm Coat has connected us to several amazing businesses that have donated quality coats and cold-weather gear for our clients at our food and clothing bank. One Warm Coat communicates clearly, is easy to work with and is a great nonprofit partner! Thank you, One Warm Coat, for all you do for the communities you serve!

Howard County Housing Commission – Columbia, MD

Partnering with One Warm Coat has been an incredible experience for our organization. With their generous donation of children’s coats and helpful guidance on collecting community donations, we were able to gather over 140 coats for our 2024 distribution. Their resources, including tax donation receipts, made the process seamless. The support from local churches, community members, and agencies was overwhelming, and our two-day event was a huge success. Serving as the main contact for our agency, I truly appreciated One Warm Coat’s mission and professionalism. We’re grateful for the partnership and look forward to future collaborations!!

Nonprofit Partner of the Year:
Walker Family Events Foundation

Based in Compton, CA, Walker Family Events Foundation collaborates with organizations and communities across Southern California to ensure veterans and their families receive the help they need. Once a month, they co-host a cookout for veterans at the West L.A. Veterans Administration campus to distribute donated goods directly to veterans.

They shared, “One Warm Coat has been instrumental in providing one of the things the veterans and their families need most: warm and weather-proof coats. Our monthly events would not be so well-attended or as helpful without One Warm Coat’s partnership.”

Sustainability Starts With One

Promoting environmental sustainability through fashion circularity is a core value at One Warm Coat. The Zero Waste Initiative provides a much-needed solution for manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers with overstock, samples, and irregular outerwear, and keeps millions of pounds of clothing out of landfills.

Do You Have Excess Outerwear Inventory Taking Up Valuable Space?

One Warm Coat has a simple and sustainable way to clear out excess inventory while supporting communities and eliminating textile waste – at no cost to you!