Early in December, children at Penn-Lincoln Elementary gathered in the gym to shop for a new winter coat. AccuWeather Broadcast Meteorologist Brittany Boyer recalls children at the event trying on coats and not wanting to take them off when it came time to write their name in their new jackets.
"Some of these kids at this elementary school didn't have a winter coat," Boyer said. "An object many take for granted is one that others don't even have the opportunity to have."
Operation Warm hosted the event to give away brand new, warm winter coats to children in need. The charity filled the gym up with tables topped with the jackets of a variety of different colors and sizes. Each of the children was able to browse the selection and choose the one they wanted to take home.
Each jacket given was brand new, unlike in a coat drive where gently used jackets are donated. With AccuWeather's sponsorship, Operation Warm was able to provide enough winter coats for every child of an elementary school in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to go home with a coat free of charge.
AccuWeather staff like Boyer and Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski attended the event to help distribute the coats amongst the students.
AccuWeather staff visited Penn-Lincoln Elementary in December to help distribute coats for Operation Warm. (Twitter/@AliciaBettes)
"I was astonished that some of these kids walked 2 miles to school," Pydynowski said. "But each kid had a smile on their face. I loved seeing how all of my fellow team members were so engaged with the kids. I looked over and saw some of my co-workers dancing with the kids and doing push-ups. They were so engaging and I think that helped the kids feel more comfortable."
The event hit close to home for some of the AccuWeather staff.
"I grew up in a working class household with little money to spare, sometimes having to rely on the generosity of family members for something like a new coat," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Randy Adkins said. "That’s not to say that my parents weren't working hard, but life is sometimes more difficult, and being one of three boys who grew quickly and were extremely active made it even more so."
Remembering generosity he and his family had received in their time of need, he wanted to pay it forward by helping out a local community in need.
The charity was founded a little over 20 years ago. In 1998, Dick Sanford was driving through his hometown of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, when he spotted a group of children huddled together at a school bus stop one freezing December morning. Moved by the sight, he changed course, going to the department store and buying all 58 coats left in stock to distribute to children who needed them. His actions, however, have changed more than just 58 lives. The charity has since distributed more than 3 million coats to children across North America.
"Many families living in poverty struggle to provide necessities like food, housing, clothing and child care. The gift of a brand new coat offers hope to both children and their parents, reminding them there are those in their community that care about their well-being and future," Operation Warm says on its site.
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"For some families a new coat for a growing child isn't an option," Boyer said. "I helped boys and girls pick out coats who were wearing one that they had outgrown. Some kids were walking to school in sweatshirts because their family could not afford to buy a new jacket. Some kids were fortunate enough to have a coat passed down from an older family member."
In the U.S. alone, about 15 million children live in families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold. That measures up to about 21% of all children. The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) cites that research shows the average family needs an income about twice the amount of that threshold to actually cover basic expenses. Taking this into consideration, about 43% of children live in low-income families.
About 19% of children live below the poverty line in Pennsylvania, according to the NCCP. The national average of children in poor families is also 19%.
"Honestly, the kids helped many of us – we gave them jackets, but they further instilled in us the sense of what life is really about – helping those less fortunate than you and making a difference in kids' lives," Pydynowski said.
You can help AccuWeather and Operation Warm provide the gift of a brand new coat by donating here.
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