Winter coat donations up, but need remains high
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United Way West Central Manitoba’s annual Coats for Kids and Coats for Seniors campaigns are delivering stronger results than last year, chief executive officer Cynamon Mychasiw told the Sun on Tuesday.
“We’ve had a larger number of coats come in this year,” she said. “It’s looking better. However, we haven’t received the full list from schools yet, so we don’t know the total need.”
The campaigns — which collect gently used and new winter coats, ski pants, mitts, hats and scarves — run through the end of October, with distribution to schools and community organizations set for November.
Gracie Ducharme, United Way West Central Manitoba executive assistant to the CEO, and Jamie Stouffer, director of staff development and community wellness, stand amid the many coats the organization has collected for their annual Coats for Kids and Coats for Seniors campaigns. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
Despite the “encouraging” increase in donations, demand for warm winter clothing in Brandon continues to exceed supply, Mychasiw said.
“We’re already hearing from the community that more adults and seniors need coats this year,” Mychasiw said.
“With the rising cost of living, it’s getting harder for folks to buy new winter gear. Every year, we find we can never quite get enough coats to meet all the needs.”
The campaign originally began as only Coats for Kids, but has now expanded to include Coats for Seniors, recognizing that many older adults in the community also face challenges staying warm during Manitoba’s harsh winters.
Last year, United Way successfully fulfilled most requests from schools but ran short on boys’ coats, a recurring issue for the program.
“We always run short of boys’ sizes,” Mychasiw said. “They’re often not donated in great shape, and there tend to be fewer of them overall.”
Donations of coats and winter accessories are being accepted until the end of this week at the United Way office at 201-1011 Rosser Ave., Brandon Cleaners at 349 Ninth St. and Shoppers Mall at 1570 18th St.
Mychasiw said Brandon Cleaners plays a vital role in the effort, cleaning all donated coats before they are distributed, adding the organization welcomes donations even after the official collection period ends, as the need for warm clothing continues throughout the season.
“There’s always someone who could use one more warm coat,” she said. “We’re grateful to everyone who helps keep our community warm.”
United Way West Central Manitoba can be contacted at 204-571-8929 or office@brandonuw.ca to arrange a donation.
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