Citizens Library gives coats to children
Children will receive new winter coats at Citizens Library Monday, thanks to Operation Warm, a national nonprofit that partners with local organizations to provide coats to children in need.
The library partnered with both Operation Warm and EQT, which sponsored the coats and the event, according to Megan Brewer, the children’s librarian at Citizens.
“This is our first time participating, so we’re very excited,” Brewer said in a recent interview.
They will be distributing 186 coats to the registered children from noon to 2 p.m. Monday. Most of the children registered are either residents of the Washington City Mission or are involved with Blueprints or Head Start programs, Brewer said. All of them are living below the poverty line, she said.
“Nearly 22% of children in Washington live in families with incomes below the federal poverty line,” Brewer said in a news release. “Necessities like warm winter clothing can be hard to come by when food, housing, heat and health care take priority.”
The children will be able to pick out what color coat they’d like on Monday.
“We are hoping to have the event outside, so we can social distance and make things a little safer,” Brewer said.
If the weather doesn’t cooperate, Brewer said they’ll move things inside and require masks. The children will also be encouraged to sign up for a library card, and they’ll each receive a goodie bag with a new book, a craft, activities and literacy information.
“This program will inspire literacy and learning by helping children get to school and to their local library on cold and wintry days,” the news release said.