Donations will help children in need stay warm this winter
Fall has arrived and Cradles to Crayons® is preparing for dropping temperatures and harsh weather that are fast approaching. The nonprofit organization has launched its annual Gear Up for Winter initiative to provide children in need with the clothing necessary to stay safe and warm in cold weather.
For the thousands of local children living in poverty, staying warm in winter months is a struggle, both indoors and outside. Cradles to Crayons (C2C®) intends to provide 40,000 children in need with winter coats, hats, gloves, shoes, and warm clothing for the coming winter season. C2C’s individually tailored “Winter KidPacks” equip children with outerwear and clothing for a week so that they can safely step outside into the cold.
Low-income families often cannot afford to purchase winter clothing for their children or themselves and many must choose between paying for heat and adequate clothing. Without suitable protection, snow and freezing temperatures put children at risk for illness and injury. Not only is their health at risk, but according to the Communities in Schools National Impact Report, lack of appropriate clothing is one of the leading reasons why children miss school.
“Winters can be fierce here in Massachusetts, and we want to help prepare kids before it becomes an emergency. No child should have to face the bitterly cold season without proper clothing,” said Lynn Margherio, Founder and CEO of Cradles to Crayons. “Donations of new or like-new coats and winter clothing will assist thousands of children, and, once again, we are looking to our community for help.”
C2C is proud to partner with retailers this season including Old Navy and Amazon to support the Gear Up For Winter campaign. The organization will also host its Annual Un-Gala as part of its winter program.
About Cradles to Crayons
Cradles to Crayons launched in Boston in 2002 and has operations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The nonprofit provides children from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive—at home, at school, and at play. C2C supplies these items free of charge by connecting communities and mobilizing them to collect and donate new and gently used high-quality children’s items. The organization engages thousands of youth and adults each year in tangible service activities that benefit local children in need. For more information, please visit www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston/.
