As temperatures have been dropping, the Livingston Coat Drive has been heating up, reports founder and coordinator Jeff “The Coat Guy” Friedman. “To date, 1,733 warm coats, along with hundreds of winter accessories, and 349 men’s suits, sport coats and dress slacks have been donated by kind residents and delivered to multiple distribution associates by Coat Drive volunteers. Garments continue to arrive and ship straight out to those in need.” The collection effort is expected to continue at least through the end of this month, he noted, adding, “It’s not too late for our philanthropic residents to bring their unused winter coats, scarves, hats and gloves to the offices of the West Essex Tribune, located at 495 South Livingston Avenue next to ShopRite.”
With the expansion of the Livingston Coat Drive beyond Livingston’s borders have come collections from unexpected places, the Coat Guy said. “Recently, I received an e-mail from Jennifer L. Hess-Mortensen, a teacher of biological sciences and co-advisor, along with her colleague, Kim Patine, to the Jonathan Dayton Volunteer Club at Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield. She learned about the Livingston Coat Drive from Livingston resident and Springfield coordinator, Dr. Gary Hecht, who has been collecting coats at his chiropractic offices in Springfield. Mortensen told me they have been collecting coats since November and would like to make a donation, and that they have almost 100 now and ‘still counting.’ ”
Longtime Coat Drive volunteer Candi Samansky met Mortensen at Coat Drive Central (a.k.a. the Coat Guy’s garage) to receive the huge delivery. Samansky thanked her for the generous donation and successful community outreach effort. “It’s such a wonderful thing that you are teaching your students – that they really can make a difference,” Samansky told Mortenson.
Coat Drive Central was also busy on the other end of the operation, with a visit from Craig Martin, fatherhood/men‘s health specialist at the Partnership of Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey. Martin came to Coat Drive Central to “shop” for men’s and boy’s suits, shirts and ties for the Healthy Start Program he coordinates at the 501(c)(3) charity. Noting that he was getting dress clothes for some of his clients who need them for interviews or to wear to work, Martin stated, “We’re pleased to partner with the Coat Drive in Livingston and know it will be a wonderful collaboration. It’s going to benefit a lot of people!”
The Partnership for Maternal ...
