The Great Winter Warm Up: Spreading Warmth and Cheer

We are proud to announce that kids in the Watertown City School District will be warmer this winter thanks to the awesome coat giveaway we held last night in collaboration with Fuccillo Subaru and Operation Warm. We are so grateful for this wonderful continued partnership that has allowed for another successful event and to the school district for connecting us with so many great families!

Dubbed “The Great Winter Warm Up,” the event took place in the gymnasium of Ohio Elementary from 5 to 7 pm. Each year, we love to kick off our event schedule with a winter distribution event because nothing brightens the darker months than the smiles of kids and their families when they receive items they are in need of.

As always, it was so great to see all their faces as the children found coats in their favorite colors, hats and mittens to keep them nice and cozy during the winter, and even books to enjoy at home courtesy of the school district. Given that this distribution took place in the Watertown City School District, it came as no surprise that purple was among the top choices for the night.

Collaborative efforts like this coat distribution align so well with our mission to unite communities, resources, and partners to address local needs, foster impactful programming, and enhance the overall quality of life, and we are very grateful for the continued partnership with Subaru and Operation Warm that allows us to continue these events.

“It’s always a great time coming out and seeing all the families we’re able to provide with winter necessities, truly a humbling experience as well as a fun one I look forward to each year,” said Ashley Weeman, a representative from Fucillo Subaru who has been with us for each distribution event we’ve held.    

Each year, Subaru and its retailers visit local shelters and support agencies to provide thousands of children with brand-new necessities as part of the Subaru Love Promise, Subaru’s commitment to improving lives in the communities where its employees live and work, and national nonprofit Operation Warm manufactures the brand-new, high-quality coats and shoes for children in need.

This collaborative effort not only provides essential warmth but also exemplifies the positive outcomes that can be achieved when communities, resources, and partners unite for a common cause. United Way has partnered with the Watertown City School District for its Food4Families backpack program over the years, so this event was another great opportunity to make a lasting local impact. 

“We are incredibly grateful for Subaru’s generous donation of over two hundred coats to our community for our youth in our elementary schools,” said Lisa Blank, Director of STEM Programming at the Watertown City School District. “The donation of these coats will ensure that our students can arrive to school warm and ready to learn through the cold winters of Northern New York.”

Approximately 140 children walked away with brand new coats Tuesday evening, and a number also received hats and mittens, as well as hot chocolate, books through the district’s literacy program, coloring sheets and more – there were even some more physical activities in the center of the gym like magnetic fort building, Legos and self-spinners to keep kids entertained while their families connected with district representatives.

Children arrived with their families and were greeted by the United Way’s table, where they were signed in and received stickers before moving on to the tables lined with coats in a variety of colors, choosing their favorites and trying them out to figure out their fit best with Ashley from Fuccillo Subaru. Once this tough decision had been made, families stopped to sign the thank you poster for Subaru and then continued through the gym.

With about 60 or so coats left over from the event, the school district will be distributing a majority of them to other students, and United Way will share the rest with community partners to spread the love and continue to work to make a lasting impact through this gift.

This event highlights the power of community collaboration and demonstrates how we can make a tangible difference in the lives of children, and truly nothing beats the smiles on the faces of the children when they get their new items to take home. See for yourself below and on our Facebook page: