As the temperature begins to drop moving into the winter, Battlefords residents are helping local children stay warm with Coats for Kids.
The Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre and Boys and Girls Club have partnered over the past few years in order to collect winter clothing for those in need through the Share the Warmth recycling Program.
Executive Director of the Food and Resource Centre Erin Katerynych believes no one in Canada should be lacking the proper winter clothing to go outside.
“We host a clinic specifically for kids during after school hours so they can come down and try on the jackets. We also send coats to different school liaisons for kids at the classroom level who’re not dressed appropriately.”
Katerynych says the community has always been great at showing up for those in need. Winter clothing is collected all year long with Share the Warmth but donation numbers ramp up around the wintertime with Coat for Kids.
Last year, roughly 200 hundred jackets were given out, plus hundreds of toques and mittens to families in the Battlefords and surrounding areas. SaskEnergy has recognized the importance of the initiative by issuing a financial grant to the food bank to assist in the event.
“That’s how we were able to put on our clinic on a Saturday because of SaskEnergy giving us a grant so people can come down with their children and pick what they need.”
Since the inception of the initiative, over a thousand coats have been handed out including hundreds of other winter apparel for those in need.
Those looking to donate new or used winter jackets can drop them off at the Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre. Those in need of winter clothing can pick up items from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on November 30th.