On a frigid December morning in 1998, he noticed a group of schoolchildren huddled together at a bus stop. None of them had coats. Spurred into action, he bought out a local department store and gave 58 coats to kids in need with the help of his Rotary Club. That act of kindness was the beginning of a highly successful nonprofit that has stitched together new programs across the country.
“In Pennsylvania, I was a member of Rotary with Richard Sanford, the founder of Operation Warm,” Ron Hollenbeck said. “When I moved here and suggested this project to Centerville Rotary, the members were intrigued.”
This is the fourth year that the Centerville Rotary Club has partnered with Hannah’s Treasure Chest, a local children’s nonprofit, to provide warm winter coats for underserved children. The club raised nearly $7,500 to purchase 419 coats directly from Operation Warm. The Rotary Club then donated the coats to Hannah’s Treasure Chest to include in care packages for children in need.
“The coats provided by the Centerville Rotary Club arrived at just the right time to help local children stay warm this winter,” said Sarah Williams, executive director of Hannah’s Treasure Chest. “Each year, just as the need has been the greatest, their generosity has boosted our ability to provide new, warm coats in the right sizes to the children we serve.”
Over the past four years, the Centerville Rotary Club has provided Hannah’s Treasure Chest with nearly 1,350 new children’s coats purchased from Operation Warm. The club collects donations from members from July to September to help fund the cost of the coats.
“We’d like to invite other Rotary Clubs in the area to join in this project so we can provide even more coats to keep kids warm,” Hollenbeck said. “There’s such an unmet need that we can all help fill.”
Only new, high quality coats are manufactured by the nonprofit itself. “More Than a Coat” is Operation Warm’s motto. “We believe it can tell a child, ‘You’re worth it,’ and help build self-esteem through pride in ownership. It can inspire happiness and warmth, while also increasing peer acceptance,” as stated on the website.
Since that cold winter’s day in 1998, Operation Warm has donated millions of coats through thousands of partnerships across the country: municipal clubs, business/corporation sponsorships and individual volunteers. It’s highly efficient, as 96 percent of funding goes directly to coat programs.
Likewise, Centerville Rotary would like to combine fundraising efforts with other Rotary Clubs or service clubs to increase the number of coats purchased for local children in need. Hollenbeck, Rotary Club president, may be reached at 937-885-3902 to schedule a presentation to interested groups.
Learn more/contacts
For more information about Hannah’s Treasure Chest:
Call: 937-438-5039
Website: www.hannahstreasure.org
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HannahsTreasureChest
Also: Families seeking help should contact the United Way's Help Line at 937-225-3000.
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