The 2014-15 Livingston Coat Drive has officially ended for the season, announced founder and coordinator Jeff Friedman of Livingston. A total of 2,130 warm coats, along with multitudes of accessories, were donated to the needy over the course of 23 deliveries. This season's effort topped last year's total of 1,466 by 664 coats.
The Coat Drive has grown each year, noted Friedman, who is known affectionately as the "Coat Guy." An estimated 300 coats were collected during the first Coat Drive during the winter of 2011-12. The second year, a total of 421 coats was collected. The following year, the total more than tripled, to 1,466. This year's count of 2,130 brings the total number of coats donated and distributed to 4,317.
This amounts to more than six tons of coats, the Coat Guy noted. "I researched the average weight of winter coats and jackets, and found that the range is one to five pounds," he explained. "Using an average of three pounds per coat, it turns out that the Livingston Coat Drive, through the generous donations of local residents, has delivered an estimated 12,951 pounds of coats and accessories during its four years of existence. That means a total of 6.475 tons, donated through the use of one personal car and a few family SUVs. What a graphic illustration of our community's generosity and compassion!"
The Coat Guy's final delivery was made to Bethany Baptist Church in Newark. The drop-off included winter coats for the family, winter accessories, and a selection of fine men’s suits, slacks, and shirts.
In addition to expressing thanks to the many who have donated items over the past four years, Friedman added, "I want to recognize an unsung hero of the Livingston Coat Drive: Roxanne Marlin of Newark, a counsellor at the OAR Prisoner Re-entry Program there. She recommended the majority of distribution partners for the Coat Drive. Roxanne, being the great person that she is, is connected to the homeless and disenfranchised communities in Newark and East Orange. Throughout four years of the Coat Drive, in her own quiet manner, she has been instrumental to our success."
The growth and success of the 2014-15 Coat Drive, Friedman continued, "is a direct outcome of the dedication of our 'Dream Team' of volunteers, our multiple distribution and collection partners, and, of course, the West Essex Tribune, whose offices served as the main drop-off point. Specifically, mounds of coats were once ...
