This Year Marks the Only Time the Coat Drive Has Collected More Than 100,000 Coats Except During the Aftermath of Superstorm Sandy
New York Cares reached a milestone this week as it collected more than 100,000 coats as part of its 27th Annual Coat Drive, thanks in large part to the New York City business community and to more than 1,000 New Yorkers who ran their own personal collection drives. This year, as in past recent years, New York Cares received requests for more than 100,000 coats from shelters, community centers, and social service agencies, and, annually, New York Cares typically collects only 75,000 coats. With the critical support of companies and the generosity of individual donors, it reached its goal this year. This is the only year New York Cares has collected more than 100,000 coats except during the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.
The influx of coats and funds not only enabled New York Cares to serve more New Yorkers in need, but allowed the organization to collect and distribute coats earlier. New York Cares distributed close to 70,000 warm winter coats ahead of the recent blizzard that brought frigid temperatures and more than 26 inches of snow to the city.
New York City businesses including KKR, Bloomberg LP, Neuberger Berman, the Greater New York Auto Dealers Association, Halstead Property, Tishman Speyer, and others made an enormous impact on the coat drive by donating coats, setting up collection sites, as well as by donating money toward the purchase of coats. For every $20.00 that these companies donated, New York Cares was able to purchase a new winter coat for men, women, and children throughout the city.
Bloomberg conducted an early coat drive among its employees from mid-October to Thanksgiving and contributed a total of 11,000 coats and more than $136,000 in financial donations. KKR and its employees donated 3,000 new coats and $40,000 to go toward the purchase of new coats, while also providing pro bono consulting services to help New York Cares find new and better ways of meeting the need for coats. Neuberger Berman made a commitment to meet all requests for children’s coats that New York Cares received from shelters.
Individual New Yorkers, in addition to dropping off coats at public collection sites, can also run their own personal coat drives among colleagues, friends, or family. In 2015, more than 1,000 residents registered their own drives benefiting New York Cares, a 20% increase over last year.
“The issue of homelessness and how to support the men, women, and children struggling to make ends meet is in the spotlight right now in New York City,” said Gary Bagley, Executive Director of New York Cares. “New York Cares is incredibly grateful to the businesses and individuals that rallied on behalf of New Yorkers in need to make sure that 100,000 requests for coats were fulfilled. Their support means children can go to school this winter wearing a warm coat, and adults can get to work, job interviews, and other appointments without concern about cold temperatures. We asked everyone to keep our neighbors in mind this season, and New York certainly delivered.”
About New York Cares
New York Cares is the largest volunteer network in the city. Last year, 63,000 New Yorkers made the city a better place by volunteering in New York Cares programs at 1,350 nonprofits and schools – improving education, meeting immediate needs, and revitalizing public spaces. For more information, visit newyorkcares.org.
