November News from One Warm Coat - warming communities one coat at a time

****Message from Sherri

Great news from all partners!

Our national Sponsors' drives are in full swing (see Sponsor notes below), spotlighting the need for warm coats at every opportunity. Organizers are busy promoting their over-1,500 campaigns! Donors across the country are filling donation boxes with beautiful warm coats. And our Agencies say YES, they're ready to receive and distribute the coats!
  As we give thanks with families and friends later this month, we will say a blessing for all of you, who work so hard to make it a warm winter for those in need. 

When you have a moment, please check out our new reader poll in the Quick Links below. We'd love to hear from you!

Sherri Lewis Wood, President

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Ready to Start?    Click here  to start your drive!

****Outstanding Organizers:

 P&L Landscaping

Karen Garland of P&L Landscaping, Merrimack, NH, shows us how creative advertising can create the "buzz" that makes a difference in the lives of so many.  Karen advertised P&L's campaign everywhere in her area, and it really paid off. Here's how:  

• For two months running, Karen stapled coat drive flyers to all customer invoices and business proposals. 

• P&L promoted it on their street-side message board.

• Karen contacted the local newspaper -- and they included the campaign flyer in the paper! Free of charge! 

Before they knew it, clubs were dropping off coats from their own spontaneous drives throughout in the area. P&L had become "coat drive central."   Karen says that she and the P&L team LOVE seeing the armfuls of jackets and coats that their caring New Hampshire neighbors bring each year. Here's to a truly organized Organizer: P&L Landscaping!

****Amazing Agencies:

 Gainesville/Alachua County Office on Homelessness

Therese Lowe, Director of Homeless Services, originally contacted us to apologize for missing our call - because things were very hectic during their recent cold snap. It was in the high 30's in FLORIDA!!
  Therese shares that her County office has just finished sorting the first round of coats that they collected and they're expecting more to come soon. A County Commissioner really likes the idea of hosting a coat drive and is most encouraging to other offices within the county system. Just look at the boxes and boxes of coats they've collected so far!
  We think there are even more on the way: Therese also told us that a press release she sent generated local television coverage! (As you can imagine, they are planning to issue monthly releases all winter.) An amazing idea, from another of our amazing Agencies!

****Spotlight on Our Sponsors

Many of us remember that November a few years ago, when Ben Affleck donated a coat on Good Morning America and helped jump start our very first national Warm Coats & Warm Hearts campaign. Now, at the start of our fourth year together, Sherri and Joan have been meeting with the GMA and Burlington Coat Factory teams all month, planning the 2010 campaign.  

Warm Coats & Warm Hearts Official Kickoff November 18th!     In 2009, Warm Coats & Warm Hearts collected over 200,000 coats for communities from coast to coast. As we get ready for 2010, we're thinking about the many generous celebrities who have added extra impact to this important work - and all the warm-hearted people who have visited a Burlington Coat Factory store in or near their communities and stepped up to donate coats to help those in need.    Set your TV's "reminder" for Good Morning America on Thursday, November 18th, when GMA launches the drive and starts to fill that GIANT donation box with warm coats for people in need everywhere! (We can hardly wait!)    **Donor Dedication:

 Heidi Skillman, the creator of the 360 Scarf from WinterScarf, knows the need for warm winter clothing. As a former resident of Chicago, she has personal experience with cold weather. What inspired her unique scarf design? It was an afternoon walk with her dogs - when the temperature outside was under 10 degrees!

This year, Heidi has graciously partnered with One Warm Coat! She's donating a supply of 360 Scarves and making a financial contribution. WinterScarf "wanted to work with an organization that was making a difference across the entire country with a variety of people especially during a time that is economically tough for many." Heidi has personally given 360 Scarves to homeless people on city streets, to help them "retain their core body heat which is so necessary when outside for a prolonged period of time."    Thank you, Heidi, for your dedication and wonderful donation!   What motivates you to donate coats? We invite you to share your "coat tale!"  Click here to contact Sybil.

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