The Rotary Club of Burnaby Metrotown is in desperate need of gently used coats for teenagers and young adults.
The club coordinates a Coats for Kids drive every year, handing out more than 1,000 winter jackets to children less fortunate at the elementary and high school levels.
“Our biggest need that we can’t meet right now is for when we go to the high schools,” said retired Burnaby principal and organizer Ernie Kashima. “I had to cancel Tuesday’s trip (to Byrne Creek Community School) because I don’t have coats for their kids.”
The campaign has a number of locations that collect the jackets, including libraries, the Neighbourhood Houses, MLA offices and schools.
“For every 10 garbage bags of coats we collect, there’s actually only about two bags’ worth that we can put back into circulation,” said Kashima, adding close to 1,500 coats were distributed in 2016.
He said that’s because coats are often a bit more worn than volunteers like, and that each coat needs to have a hood, be somewhat waterproof and have good working zippers. (All second-hand coats are dry-cleaned before they’re handed out.)
The Rotary Club of Burnaby Metrotown also raises money to buy new jackets. The club gets a discounted rate at suppliers like Army & Navy.
Kashima drops off the jackets himself, in a truck that has been donated by Burnaby-based Zeemac, a company that specializes in fleet services.
Kids get to go in the truck, peruse through the hangers and pick out their favourite.
“It’s fantastic,” he said of watching the kids’ reaction.
“They’re so thrilled. They walk off, most of them, with a brand new or a like-new, warm winter jacket with a huge smile on their face, and they’re sort of hugging their jacket as they walk off. They don’t want to take it off.”
Where to donate:
Burnaby Public Libraries, all branches
(until Nov. 25)
Burnaby Neighbourhood House South,
4460 Beresford St.
Burnaby Neighbourhood House North,
4908 Hastings St.
UPS Store, 7655 Edmonds St.
Staples, 5821 Marine Way (until Nov. 25)
Gateway Casino, 4331 Dominion St. (until Nov. 25)
Janet Routledge, MLA, 1833 Willingdon Ave.
Raj Chouhan, MLA, 5234 Rumble St.
Katrina Chen, MLA, 8699 10th Ave.
Kennedy Stewart, MP, 4940 Kingsway
Terry Beech, MP, 3906 East Hastings St. (until Nov. 25)
Cash donations
Any cash donations should be addressed to the BNH – Rotary Coats for Kids and can be dropped off at one of the Neighbourhood Houses.
