NEWS RELEASE UGDSB
The weather outside may be frightful, but those without the means won’t have to endure it without a winter coat this season.
East Garafraxa Public School held a coat drive to support Family Transition Place (FTP) – a local women’s shelter that primarily provides services to women and children who have experienced abuse.
Canada is known for its often bitter, cold and chilling winters. The initiative was started by Victoria S – an intermediate student at East Garafraxa PS – when she thought to herself: “Could you imagine having to encounter these harsh conditions without having the proper winter gear?”
With the help of Mr. Mead, Ms. Federico and Victoria organizing the coat drive, each class brought in bags of jackets and coats to be donated to the women’s shelter with more than 20 bags of coats being dropped off to As We Grow, a consignment store in Orangeville since FTP did not have the storage capacity at their location.
“Many people less fortunate or homeless are wishing for what we may take for granted on an everyday basis, whereas to some, they are a luxury. Which is why no child or adult should go without a winter coat this season”, said Victoria.
Victoria hopes their coat drive encourages other schools to hold their own to serve those in need in their own communities.
“Starting a coat drive every winter will ensure we are protecting people from the cold and helping environmental sustainability. We are able to reuse and repurpose outerwear and help reduce our carbon footprint. We not only are aiding our fellow citizens but helping climate change.”
East Garafraxa PS is coming together to make the world a better, warmer place to live and they hope you join them.
