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Gold Star, St. Vincent de Paul Partner for Annual Coat Drive

Holiday partnership seeks to provide 4,500 coats for those in need

In a year that has seen an increased need for neighbors to help one another, Gold Star is proud to once again sponsor The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) 20th Annual Winter Coat Drive. This year, Gold Star is doing things differently. In order to ensure the safety of everyone involved, the coat drive will offer new ways to donate coats to St. Vincent de Paul including contactless drop-offs and through online donations.

In addition to traditional donations of new and gently used winter coats, Greater Cincinnati residents can now make a financial donation at www.goldstarchili.com/coat-drive that will help SVDP purchase new coats to distribute to a neighbor in need. Suggested donations include $35 to provide one coat up to $175 to provide five. An option to include any amount and to make a one-time or monthly donation is also available.

New or gently used coats can be donated through a contactless drop-off at any Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky SVDP thrift store location or Findlay Market in Over-the-Rhine. There is a particular need for children’s coats and adult coats size XL and larger. More than 50 local businesses are hosting private coat drives, the locations of which can be found online at SVDPcincinnati.org/coats, SVDPnky.org or through SVDP’s media partners WLWT.com or Warm98.com.

SVDP and its partners have a goal of providing at least 4,500 neighbors in need with coats, which – in the interest of public health – will be distributed via a voucher system this year. Coats will be distributed through Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021. Those in need of a coat should call (513) 562-8841 in Ohio or (859) 341-3219 in Kentucky; vouchers will be available to redeemed for 30 days at any SVDP.

“Knowing the ways (in which) the pandemic has affected our community, we believe many neighbors will be unable to afford a new winter coat or purchase properly fitting coats for growing children this year. We anticipate distributing more coats than ever before,” said Mike Dunn, Executive Director of St. Vincent de Paul – Cincinnati. “We are grateful to our partners and everyone who will donate a coat this year to help us meet the increased need and keep our neighbors warm.”

Gold Star CEO and President Roger David agrees, calling support for this year’s drive “a must” for those in need throughout the Tri-State region.

“As winter and the holiday season approach, the need to help those in our community is always magnified. With all of the challenges that we have collectively faced this year, we are extremely proud to partner with St. Vincent de Paul once again show those in need that our community cares about them,” said David. “Whether it’s a monetary donation directly to St. Vincent de Paul or by donating a new or gently-used coat directly to the organization, we encourage all of our neighbors who are able to support this effort to do so, knowing those in need will directly benefit from their generosity this holiday season.”

For more information, visit www.goldstarchili.com/coat-drive.