The UHC Hub of Opportunities Coats for Kids program is back for another year, with coats now available for pick-up by appointment only at two locations in the area.
Organizers say this year is much different than prior years due to precautions around COVID-19.
Cintas is working with the program again this year to wash the coats and deliver them to the centre for interested families to pick up, according to UHC Hub of Opportunities CEO June Muir.
"If a family calls we pack up the coats and have them to come to our centre to pick them up," she continued. "They're put in a plastic bag, they're sent down a conveyor belt so we are keeping that social distancing and handing these coats out in a very different way to keep everyone safe."
All information, like sizes and a convenient pickup date, will be taken over the phone.
Muir says because they're doing everything in a safe way, they had to move away from how Coats for Kids would work in the past where people could come in and choose coats themselves.
"So it's very organized, but once again we're doing it where we have no contact because we're able to have the conveyor belt. It's right there, we just roll the coats down in a bag and the families pick them up. We have their name and they have their time and it's working very well."
Muir says demand is usually great, but this year the phone is ringing off the wall as the Coats for Kids coordinator is constantly speaking to families.
She says they're also seeing other agencies reaching out to them with information from families.
"Once she gets the information, she goes to the back, she packs up the coats for the families, puts the names on the bag and we're able to distribute them that way. A big thank you and shout out to Cintas because they're cleaning the coats ongoing and bringing them to us. We're able to keep up with the demand and we are going to give coats out as long as we have them," Muir said.
Muir says they're getting a lot of donations of both coats and money from people in the community.
In Windsor, anyone looking for a coat can call 519-944-4900 ext. 166 for a pickup at the UHC Hub of Opportunities between November 8 and 22.
In Leamington and Kingsville, anyone in need of a coat can call 519-326-8629 ext. 38 for a pickup at the South Essex Community Council on November 13,15 and 16.
- with files from Rob Hindi