Church Charity Drive Breaks Record with Over 1,500 Coats for Children in Need
In a heartwarming effort to support local families, Harvest Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has successfully distributed more than 1,500 winter coats to children. This initiative marks the largest collection in the history of their annual Kidz-n-Coats charity drive.
The church, which has been spearheading this cause since 2009, orchestrated the purchase of these coats through their yearly event. Notably, this year’s collection stands as the largest, surpassing previous efforts in the drive’s 16-year history.
Kidz-N-Coats Giveaway Coordinator Teresa Blauwet shared insights with The Christian Post, revealing that approximately 1,400 coats have already been distributed to families in need earlier this month. The remaining 100 coats will be allocated to local organizations that focus on child welfare.
The program’s inception can be traced back to a poignant moment in 2009 when a gesture by the son of Harvest Pastor Charlie Dial highlighted the urgent need for proper winter clothing among children in the community. Blauwet recounted, “This brought the attention and awareness to them that there are children in South Dakota in the cold winter season who were without proper winter gear.”
Initially, the initiative started with a modest donation of around 20 coats. Over the years, it has seen significant growth, now being supported by a fundraising golf tournament that helps ensure all coats provided are brand new.
The coat distribution process includes a large giveaway event where children can receive a coat firsthand. Blauwet emphasized that the remaining coats will aid local organizations such as Compassion Childcare and Volunteers of America, along with foster care networks.
Blauwet expressed, “We believe that in generously giving coats to those who are in need, we are being the light that Jesus instructed us to be.” She further highlighted the dual purpose of the initiative, not only meeting the immediate needs of the community but also fostering a spirit of service among church members.
Harvest Church’s efforts echo similar initiatives by other congregations. For instance, Greater Grace Temple of Detroit, Michigan, has been running “Happy’s Coats 4 Kids” since 2009 in collaboration with Happy’s Pizza. This program has distributed around 10,000 coats to children in need in its initial years.
Melvin Epps, communications director for Greater Grace, mentioned in a 2011 interview, “We were delighted as we see meeting needs in our community as the church’s purpose. That is, meeting spiritual and natural needs. We believe that love requires taking action.”
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
