RICHMOND, Va. — Puritan Cleaners' annual Coats for Kids campaign is kicking off another year with CBS 6 as the official TV partner, aiming to help hundreds of Central Virginia families stay warm this winter.
Families in need must register with the Salvation Army from Tuesday, September 23 through Thursday, September 25 to receive a warm coat. Access to the registration forms starts at 9 a.m., and spots are highly desired and go quickly.
"The need just rises year over year, which is unfortunate, but when my inbox starts blowing up, it's a sign of hope," said Sara Moncrieff, who serves as community relations for Puritan Cleaners.
Moncrieff said more people want to get involved with the coat drive, and they're starting to see some schools sign up for the campaign.
The partnership involves Puritan Cleaners cleaning donated coats collected at Central Virginia schools and their stores, while the Salvation Army serves as the hub for distributing the clothing to families and organizations in December.
Since 1988, the groups have collected coats of all sizes each November for the campaign, with a growing need for children's coats.
"Kids coats are the ones we run out of faster than any other size coat," Moncrieff said.
She emphasized that the campaign accepts coats of all sizes, ensuring that parents, grandparents and other family members can also receive appropriate winter clothing.
The groups have collected about 500,000 coats over the years.
"My inbox has already started blowing up with people wanting to get involved in help, which is so comforting, because so many families need our help," Moncrieff said.
If applications are approved, in-person interviews begin October 7.
The Ballpark Warming Party 2025 is scheduled for Saturday, November 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Diamond on Arthur Ashe Boulevard. The public is invited to bring coats for donation and enjoy live music, hot dogs, bounce houses, monster trucks, first responder vehicles and more.
The Salvation Army of Central Virginia serves 16 localities, including ZIP codes in Ashland, Charles City, Chesterfield, City of Richmond, Colonial Heights, Dinwiddie, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, King William, King and Queen, New Kent, Petersburg, Powhatan and Prince George.
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