Since 1989, the New York Cares Coat Drive has collected over 1 million coats for New Yorkers in need – between 70,000 and 80,000 coats each year. A crucial element in making this happen is the availability of donated warehouse space where we receive, sort, and distribute the contributed coats to hundreds of nonprofit agencies.

Unfortunately, the space we’ve used for the past three years is no longer available, so we are now urgently seeking alternative space. The Coat Drive warehouse is the logistics hub for the entire operation. Can you help?

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The final numbers are in: we collected and distributed 70,423 coats through the 21st Annual New York Cares Coat Drive!

We couldn’t do this without the help of hundreds of collection sites. Each year we recognize the individuals and organizations that collect the most coats with our Winter Warmth Awards. The winners for 2009 are:

• New York City Police Department Collection Awards:
  112th Precinct (Queens), 1,296
  50th Precinct (Bronx), 1,260
  111th Precinct (Queens), 1,248

• Top Collection Event Award: New York Football Giants, 2,100 coats

• Top Corporate Collection Award: YMWREA, 1,394 coats

• Top Civic Collection Award: Wildlife Conservation Society – Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium, 1,034 coats

• Top Retail Collection Award: Janovic Plaza, 473 coats

• Top Youth Group Collection Award: Saint David’s School, 229 coats

This winter, we distributed coats to over 300 agencies — including homeless shelters, community organizations, and schools — that serve our economically disadvantaged neighbors. Thanks to everyone who donated a coat to keep someone warm.

In just three weeks since the end of the New York Cares Coat Drive, we’ve already given out over 45,000 coats to agencies serving our city’s most vulnerable residents!

New York Cares would like to thank our friends at Original Windbreaker for their donation of a whopping 4,600 Big & Tall Men’s coats. The need for coats this winter is greater than ever, and Windbreaker made every effort to help us meet that need.

Thanks to Windbreaker’s contribution and the donations of thousands of generous New Yorkers, we are well on our way to keeping 80,000 of our city’s struggling residents warm this year.

We plunged into the new year and the icy waters off the Coney Island Boardwalk on January 1 for the last hurrah of the New York Cares Coat Drive. Thanks to the Coney Island Polar Bear Club and everyone who came out to jump in or donate a coat. We’ve received tens of thousands of coats so far, and we’re still counting!

As we enter the last week of the Coat Drive, we’re increasing our goal to collect 80,000 coats for homeless and low-income New Yorkers. Donations to the Coat Drive have been strong so far, but we need everyone’s help to beat our original goal of 70,000 coats.

The demand for warm clothing is the highest we’ve seen in years, and we don’t want to leave anyone out in the cold. This Christmas morning, New York Cares volunteers are giving out warm winter coats to over 100 homeless men, women, and children at the New York City Rescue Mission in Manhattan.

Help us keep thousands of other New Yorkers in need warm this winter – donate at one of hundreds of public locations around the city.

Update: The Mets collected 1,568 coats in just one day! A huge thanks to the Mets and everyone who made it to Citi Field to donate for helping us on our way to 80,000 coats.

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Get your old coats together for the 3rd annual “Mets Warm-Up” holiday coat drive at Citi Field today!

Each fan who donates a coat will receive a voucher for a free pair of tickets to a select Mets home game in April.

You can drop off coats at the First Base VIP entrance anytime between 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16. For more details, visit our Coat Drive News and Events page or mets.com.

One more day for Coats for Clunkers at Penn Station – stop by on your way to work tomorrow, Dec 16 (7:30 – 9:30 a.m.), with a used coat and get a $100 coupon for a new one from Weatherproof!

We collected over 250 coats at the Amtrak rotunda today – four times our normal take (see below).  Thanks to WPIX’s Larry Hoff and NY1 for helping spread the word.   And, of course, special thanks to Weatherproof for making it a little bit easier to give a coat this year.

New York Cares is thrilled to partner with Old Navy for a winter wonderland weekend at The Pond at Bryant Park. Starting at 8:00 a.m. on December 12-13, Old Navy is hosting a Performance Fleece pop-up shop with 100% of the proceeds directly benefitting New York Cares.

All hats, scarves and gloves will be on sale for just $5 – be sure to stop by and take advantage of great holiday deals, hear the Old Navy Carolers, and enjoy free hot chocolate while keeping warm for a good cause. Old Navy will also offer the first 3,000 ice skaters free admission, skate rentals, and complimentary hot chocolate!

We hope to see you there this weekend. The Pond is also collecting coats for the New York Cares Coat Drive this year, so bring a used coat to donate and give the gift of warmth this holiday season.

Need a little nudge to convince you to part with last year’s coat? Our partners are offering some great deals on new coats when you donate an old one:

• Club Monaco is offering a 20% discount off all outerwear at its New York City locations when you donate a coat from December 7-14.

• Get a $100 rebate coupon toward the purchase of a new coat from Weatherproof when you drop off a coat at New York Cares’ Penn Station collection site from December 14-16.

• Rothman’s Union Square will take $100 off the cost of a new overcoat when you donate a coat to the New York Cares Coat Drive during the month of December.

Get the full details on these sales and others this week (like Sak and Paragon Sports giveaways). We’re posting new Coat Drive promotions and events nearly every day, so keep an eye out for even more enticing deals!

Join the New Jersey Nets in supporting the New York Cares Coat Drive at the November 21 Nets vs. Knicks game.

A portion of ticket sale proceeds will go to New York Cares, and fans can donate gently used coats on game day. Buy discount tickets with special offer code nets, and bring your coats to the game!

Keep an eye out on our Coat Drive News and Events page for more special events in support of the Coat Drive. New offers and promotions are posted weekly.