The Livingston Coat Drive, during its first month of operation, has collected and delivered more than 300 coats. "Our total number of winter coats donated and delivered this season, so far, is 319," noted Coat Drive founder and coordinator Jeff "the Coat Guy" Friedman of Livingston. "Additionally, we've gotten lots of accessories, along with the highest quality men's suits, sports jackets and ties."
This past week, Friedman and his sister-in-law, Joyce Friedman, delivered more than 200 warm coats and bags of winter accessories to the Family Success Center in East Orange and to Newark Emergency Services for Families (NESF), the independent Newark division under the Family Success Center banner. "The NESF's mission is to 'stabilize families and individuals in crisis, especially the working poor, the homeless, and those in financial need and provide them with financial support and life skills training to live on their own,' " notes Friedman. "With the help of our Coat Drive donors, we are able to support this goal in an important way."
Meanwhile, chiropractor and Livingston resident Dr. Gary Hecht has been collecting coats for the drive at his Springfield offices. He recently took the first bag of donations to Friedman's garage, which the Coat Guy has dubbed the new "Coat Drive Central." Friedman has even temporarily relocated one of his vehicles to his vacation home to make room for the coats, which "thanks to the generosity of our Livingston neighbors, have been piling up regularly."
Also "piling up" have been much-needed donations of men's businesswear, said Friedman. "These are very welcome additions to the Coat Drive collections," he said. "In general, the poor and disenfranchised do not own business attire. Several of our distribution partners offer clothes closets to those in need who have upcoming job and school interviews. Where else could they shop, at no cost, based on their current situations? But if they can interview successfully and find jobs, they can break the cycle of poverty. So remember, when you go through your closets – your old suits can change lives!"
"Presidential Seal of Approval"
The Coat Drive has, indirectly, received the "seal of approval" from none other than the President of the United States. During his visit to Newark earlier this week, President Barack Obama visited Integrity House, a Coat Drive distribution partner. "Last year, after an urgent request for assistance, we delivered 84 men's and women's coats, along with many accessories, to Integrity House," said ...
