WRAL’S 15th Annual Coats For The Children Provides Warm Winter Clothing For Families In Need

For the 15th year, WRAL is collecting warm winter clothing and money for Salvation Army families in need. Beginning November 22nd through December 31st, WRAL and its community partners, Jiffy Lube and Chick-fil-A, invite the public to donate new or gently used coats at any of their participating locations in Raleigh, Apex, Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill, Fayetteville, Spring Lake, Rocky Mount, Wilson, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Smithfield, Southern Pines, Clayton, Wake Forest and Goldsboro.

In addition to the need for clean coats, WRAL is asking the public to donate other winter clothing items including gently used gloves, hats, and new underwear, t-shirts and socks to completely outfit a child for the winter months. Any size coat will be accepted; however, larger sizes for teens and adults are in particular demand. This year’s campaign will also try to address the special needs of the Hispanic community, many of whom have never experienced cold weather.

On Friday, December 5th, WRAL will broadcast a daylong “Coats For The Children Telethon,” raising money to buy warm winter clothing and undergarments. Telethon operators will accept pledges from 6:00 am until midnight. The telethon includes three half-hour specials at 12:30 pm, 7 pm, and 11:35 pm.

Since 1989, WRAL has collected over 73,000 coats and $643,000 to provide winter clothing for Salvation Army families.

WRAL thanks its community partners at Jiffy Lube and Chick-fil-A for their support of this project.

Anyone who would like more information about drop-off locations, participating Salvation Army branches or donations can go to WRAL.com and click on WRAL Info.

For more information, call WRAL Community Relations Director Loretta Harper at (919) 821-8652.

Thanks to WRAL-TV's Cindy Sink for this capcom story.

POSTED: December 1, 2003