RICHMOND, Va. — Thanks to the generosity of the community, the spirit of giving is in full swing this holiday season.
Throughout the month of November, Central Virginians dropped off new and gently used coats to Puritan Cleaners locations as part of their annual Coats for Kids campaign. Now, it’s time to put those donations to work.
On Sorting Day, more than 14,000 coats were cleaned, unpacked, organized, and prepared for distribution at the Salvation Army Christmas Center in Stony Point Fashion Park. Volunteers from the Salvation Army, Puritan Cleaners, CBS 6, and the Richmond Flying Squirrels rolled up their sleeves to help sort through the mountain of warmth — ensuring each coat is ready to reach a child or adult in need this winter.
Among the volunteers was Emma Vianco, a retired first-grade teacher who says the cause hits close to home.
"I’ve seen children that have been without,” Vianco shared. “I feel very strongly about children having coats and clothes for themselves.”
She added that her own family played a part in her donation.
“I have grandchildren that have outgrown their coats, so I donated a lot of those, and some of my own and some of my daughter’s. I just collect things to donate instead of getting rid of them.”
After sorting, the coats will be distributed by the Salvation Army and other partners to families across Central Virginia — helping children and adults stay warm as the temperatures drop.
This year’s success is a testament to what happens when a community comes together with a shared mission: to care for one another.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
