MORROW COUNTY -The four Morrow County School Districts received 85 warm winter coats to benefit children in the county this year. They came just in time for winter weather.
It is the sixth year the county has received these coats from Coats 4 Children organization in Columbus.
Jodi Hayes and Brenda Harden of United Way of Morrow County work with Director Beverly Robinson of Coats 4 Children to coordinate with schools who will receive the coats.
Robinson said all of these coats are brand new. She works with businesses and organizations throughout the year to purchase or get donations of winter coats.
“The humanity of this program is that once the coats are delivered to the schools the principals, teachers, school nurses, social worker, and guidance counselors contact the parent/guardian of the child in desperate need of warm fitting outerwear,” Robinson said.
“The parent/guardian stops into the school to pick up the new coat. The child returns the next day with a winter coat in their proper size, suited for our Ohio winter weather. The child’s dignity remains intact, and the student’s health isn’t at risk because our Ohio community came together and simply said, yes.”
Harden said she met Beverly Robinson at a meeting in Columbus a few years ago and heard about the Coats 4 Children program. She asked if they would be able to bring the program to Morrow County and Robinson said yes.
Harden said Morrow County is the farthest north the program goes outside of the Columbus area. The four Morrow County school districts are part of 14 school districts which receive coats. United Way is one of 100 partnerships to be part Coats 4 Children.
Robinson founded the organization Coats 4 Children 15 years ago. She said that thousands of children in central Ohio have received coats. Robinson believes every child deserves to be warm and protected from the winter weather.
For more information: www.coats4children.org.
