United Way’s third annual coat drive aims to bring warmth this winter

This year the United Way KFL&A is holding their third annual coat drive to help many community members keep warm through the colder months.

Community members are asked to donate clean, new or gently used winter adult outerwear which will be sorted by volunteers and distributed to agencies throughout KFL&A.

The United Way said that the only requirement is that the coats must be washable — no leather or heavy wool. To make drop-offs easy, bins are available at the United Way office, 417 Bagot Street; City Hall, 216 Ontario Street; or branches of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library or Lennox & Addington Library.

“Last year over 1,100 items were donated during the coat drive and they went immediately to helping our fellow residents in need. Thank you to all those who generously donated through our previous drives, our amazing volunteers and partners who make this possible,” said Bhavana Varma, President and CEO of the United Way KFL&A. ”I am confident that our caring and compassionate community will step up once again.”

According to a release from the United Way, financial donations are also accepted and help United Way purchase coats for people who need specialty sizes. Donations can be made at www.unitedwaykfla.ca/donate/ – please indicate the donation is for the Coat Drive in the notes box – or call 613-542-2674 to donate.

“Winter coats can be costly. If you are living on a fixed income or in poverty, then it is nearly impossible to buy a new coat,” said Leigh Martins, with Kingston Interval House, one of the agencies that receives donated coats. “Every year we have a lot of the people we serve reach out to us because they don’t have a warm coat to wear. The United Way coat drive allows this wonderful community to donate their gently used coats and our clients to stay warm in winter.” 

Items can be dropped off in collection bins from October 24 to November 6, 2022, at the following locations:

Kingston

• United Way KFL&A Office, 417 Bagot Street, Mon to Fri 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Calvin Park Branch Library, 88 Wright Crescent, Mon to Thu 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri and Sat 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Central Branch Library, 130 Johnson Street, Mon to Thu 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri and Sat 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sun 1 to 5 p.m.
• Isabel Turner Library, 935 Gardiners Road, Mon to Thu 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri and Sat 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sun 1 to 5 p.m.
• City Hall, 216 Ontario Street, Monto Fri 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Frontenac

• Sydenham Branch Library, 4412 Wheatley Street, Mon 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tue and Thu 1 to 8 p.m.; Fri 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sharbot Lake Branch Library, 1037 Robert Street, Tue and Thu, 1 to 5 p.m.; 6 to 8 p.m.; Fri 2 to 5 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lennox & Addington

• Napanee Branch Library, 25 River Road, Mon to Thu 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri and Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Amherstview Branch Library, 322 Amherst Drive, Mon to Thu, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri and Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about this year’s Coats for Community drive click here.