The United Way West Central Manitoba is once again gathering winter wear for its annual Coats for Kids and Coats for Seniors campaign. The fall collection runs from October 1 to 31, and this year, there are 10 drop-off locations across Portage la Prairie to make donating easier than ever.
Office Coordinator Chelsey Denser says the organization is grateful for the community’s continued support.
“They’re all over the city and people can find a drop-off location where they need to,” she notes.
Donation Drop-Off Locations in Portage la Prairie:
- United Way Office
- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Service for Seniors
- Pharmasave
- Family Resource Centre
- Portage Regional Library
- Stride Place
- Canadian Tire
- Southport Aerospace
- Westland Insurance
The program collects all types of outerwear for children and seniors, including coats, ski pants, toques, scarves, mitts, and boots. Denser mentions that donations must be in good shape to ensure recipients can wear them with pride.
“No rips or tears, the zippers work because we just don’t have the means to do any kind of repairs. We want people to feel good about the clothes that they’re wearing,” she adds.
Community partnerships make it possible
Once donations come in, they’re cleaned before being distributed in November.
Denser remarks that local businesses and organizations play a major role in keeping the program running smoothly.
“Simplot’s helping to cover the costs for that. We take everything to Brandon Cleaners, get it all cleaned up and brought back for when we disperse them in November,” she says.
She continues that Visions of Independence provides key logistical help.
“They go to all the drop-off locations to pick them up for us. They sort them in bags and store them for us until we’re ready to give them out,” Denser adds.
Disbursement begins in November
This year’s distribution days are set for November 12th, 13th, and 14th, taking place at Youth for Christ in Portage la Prairie.
Denser notes that the first two days will focus on coats for children, while the final day is reserved for seniors.
The Coats for Seniors program, while newer to the initiative, has already proven valuable.
“Service for Seniors came to us last year and talked to us about it to see if we could partner up because we realized that there’s a need in our community for that as well,” Denser says.
Helping with one less worry
Last year’s drive saw around 700 winter items collected and distributed to schools and families in the region, including 224 coats. Even before the fall collection began, about 15 bags of items had already been donated this spring.
For Denser, the goal is simple: to provide warmth and relief for families feeling financial strain.
“It’s just a need in the community. It’s been around for decades in Portage and Winnipeg and all over. It gives people one less thing that they have to worry about with the costs of everything rising, food and bills and all that. If we can give kids a coat and some ski pants and that’s $60 that they don’t have to spend,” she remarks.
Over 14,000 items have been distributed over the previous 22 years of the program in Portage.
With community support, the United Way’s Coats for Kids and Coats for Seniors program continues to bring warmth and comfort to those who need it most, one coat at a time.
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