A coat drive is being held in Owen Sound this winter to support youth in need across the region.
The School Coat Drive is running between Jan. 12 and Feb. 9.
The drive is accepting new or slightly used jackets, as well as snow pants, gloves, and hats.
Owner of Owen Sound Hyundai and KIA Matt Macdonald says they will match any jacket dropped off at the dealerships during regular business hours.
“We have reached out to probably 15 to 20 different schools and we are getting their feedback. One thing we heard this morning was a lot of kids have jackets, but the lacking thing is snow pants,” says Macdonald.
He says the demand for these items was surprising.
“Thinking January, most kids already have a jacket, but surprisingly they don’t, so that is why our focus is to try and get as many jackets to as many kids as possible, but hats, mitts, pants as well, anything that we can support them in the colder weather,” says Macdonald.
He hopes they will be able to donate at least 100 jackets.
“Every month we are going to try and do a different drive for a different kind of support of the local area. This month is the drive for the jackets, next month we will try something else,” says Macdonald.
Macdonald aims to make the coat drive a yearly fundraiser.
The dealerships are open Monday through Saturday.