Planet Aid and Ibero-American Action League hosted the 9th Annual Free Coat Giveaway on Saturday, November 19, in Rochester, New York. The giveaway was at Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School. With the help of the Rochester community, Planet Aid collected more than 800 coats at local donation bins. Another 4,788 pounds was donated privately.
Planet Aid partner, Ibero-American Action League, Inc., helps organize the coat giveaway to provide economic relief for the community. Jose Delgado, Planet Aid's Upstate New York Operations Manager, said: "It's such a big event every year, and the need is so great within this community."
Rochester suffers bitterly cold winters, with snowfalls accumulating between 70 and 90 inches per year, so a warm coat is a basic necessity, especially for children.
According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau report, the poverty rate decreased for children in Rochester from 51 percent to 48.2 percent. Nonetheless, the overall city poverty levels are still very high, ranking fifth poorest out of the 75 largest metropolitan cities in the U.S.
Children are constantly growing, so this giveaway helps in ways we can never measure."
~Jose Delgado, UPNY Planet Aid Operations Manager
Delgado has observed the appreciation for the coat giveaway over the past nine years, stating: "So many parents struggle to buy new coats for their children. Children are constantly growing, so this giveaway helps in ways we can never measure."
Redrum Motorcycle Club & Society volunteers (Planet Aid Ops Manager Jose Delgado pictured 2nd from left)
Volunteers helping at the coat drive, located at Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School.
Volunteers are foundational to the success of the event. The historic indigenous Redrum Motorcycle Club & Society and Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter school were among some of the volunteers helping to organize lines and distribute coats. Citizen Bank, and radio station, PODER 97.1 were event sponsors.
It was, certainly, a day to be proud of the outpour of assistance to and for Rochester residents. The combined efforts led to another successful event serving nearly 650 families with free coats, 1,300 hot meals, healthcare information and other services.