We get so jazzed about the work our volunteers do that we need to find new ways to talk about the great work they do. Sometimes a story and a single picture just don’t cut it. Our latest infographic shows just a small amount of the work you’ve done since Hurricane Sandy hit. Keep the momentum going by signing up for a project today. And thanks for all your hard work so far!

This year’s record-breaking Coat Drive was a success thanks not only to the generosity of individual New Yorkers, but also because of retailers and manufacturers that dug into their inventories to help keep our city warm. In total, we received more than 10,500 coats, valued at nearly $320,000, from companies who made bulk donations. Some of the largest contributors included G-III Apparel, Ralph Lauren, Columbia Sportswear, The Fur Vault at Macy’s, KingSize/Redcats, and Nordstrom.

Many businesses also ran special promotions to aid the coat collection effort, offering free movie and sports tickets, discounts, and giveaways to encourage donations. Dozens more donated proceeds from events and sales to help support the Coat Drive. Special thanks to these companies, including: Rothman’s, Paragon Sports and Marmot, New York Mets, The New York Chocolate Show, Catherine Malandrino, John Varvatos, 107.5 WBLS-FM and many, many more. 

Did you come across any creative coat collections? Let us know how you helped make this year’s Coat Drive the biggest ever in the comments! 

By Joshua Winata

Pictured: Deanna Williams of Macy’s Public Relations, Steven Lanzillotta of The Fur Vault at Macy’s, and Diane Conroy at the Coat Drive Warehouse.

This marks the second year New York Pass has teamed up with New York Cares for our annual Coat Drive. This holiday season, New York Pass graciously donated $1 for every pass sold – and another $1 for every Facebook post including a photo with someone holding their pass in hand at one of the attractions. 

Through this fun social media campaign and sale, they raised an incredible $21,340 in support of our Coat Drive! With that money, we were able to distribute over 7,000 coats to New Yorkers in need this winter.  

New York Pass helps you be a tourist in your own city, or figure out where to start sightseeing when visiting from out of town with discounted tickets to attractions around the Big Apple.

The actual New York Pass is the size of a credit card and allows you admission into more than 70 New York City attractions such as the Empire State Building, Madame Tussauds, New York Skyride, and so many more. 

We are so grateful for our partnership with New York Pass and cannot thank them enough for their support!

By Rebecca Gnessin

The Coat Drive is such a huge undertaking every year that starting in November we barely see our Seasonal Events staff because they spend all their time in the warehouse, and we have to hire additional help. This year was no different, and was in fact, our busiest ever. Lauren Glattly stepped up to fill one of our seasonal positions in the warehouse, and wrote about her experience below. 

It was a record-breaking year for the 24th Annual New York Cares Coat Drive, and all of us here at the Coat Drive warehouse would like to send a tremendous “thank you” to everyone who donated a coat, as well as the many volunteers who donated their time and helped us sort the donations. 

Starting the very first day of the Coat Drive, in rapid response to Hurricane Sandy, coats poured in from all over New York and the rest of the rest of the country to banish the cold from New York this winter. Out of the estimated 100,000 coats we’ve received and sorted so far, 70,830 coats have already gone out to 282 agencies, and 87 more agencies will pick up coats in the following weeks.

We’ve been overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity from friends and strangers, neighbors nearby and some as far as Hawaii. We were touched by the interest and enthusiasm of all who came in person to donate coats, including many classes of school children. One very precocious third-grader, who, after asking many pertinent questions about our sorting and distribution process, concluded simply, “You guys are doing a good, good thing here.”

In person, in post, in trunks, and in trucks, they came. Coats of every shape and color — big coats, small coats, fuzzy coats, sleek coats, huge boxes of brand new coats, and even hot pink leopard print coats. Many were sent along with loving messages of warmth, hope, and healing, like the one pictured left. We only wish that all who received a coat could also have seen these many notes of kindness and care, and that those who donated could hear the words of gratitude expressed by those in need.

Although we hope that New York never experiences another storm like Hurricane Sandy, it was truly awe-inspiring to see people pull together in the face of disaster as New Yorkers, as Americans, and as human beings, to help one another. Thank you again for making the 2012 Coat Drive our most successful ever.

By Lauren Glattly       

There’s no better way to celebrate the holidays than by giving back. We have a lot of projects coming up that will get you in the holiday spirit, while doing good for those in need.

This weekend you can volunteer at the Holiday Pop-up Shop in Staten Island, where Hurricane Sandy victims can attend a free, festive shopping experience. Or head to our Coat Drive Warehouse. It may be two basements underneath the ground, but that doesn’t mean it’s not cheery and fun. You’ll have a blast sorting coat donations with our staff that are going to Sandy victims and thousands of New Yorkers in need.

Next Saturday you can also attend a potluck dinner and holiday celebration at 175 Eldridge Street Tenants Association. You’ll get in on the festivities by serving dinner and spending time with seniors.

There’s no shortage of ways to give back over the next week. Sign up for one of our holiday projects today!

On Monday, November 28, 2011 the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District (BID) and presenting sponsor Time Warner will host the 12th Annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square – New York City’s largest holiday festival.

Winter’s Eve kicks off with a tree lighting ceremony and features free entertainment, food tastings, in-store activities and shopping around this colorful and vibrant neighborhood.

Lincoln Square BID has chosen the New York Cares Coat Drive as this year’s charitable partner for Winter’s Eve.

You can donate coats on the night of the event at Broadway and 63rd Street (main information tent) and at other neighborhood locations, including WNET Studios at Lincoln Center at Broadway and 66th Street, the New York Public Library’s Riverside Branch at 127 Amsterdam Ave. at 65th Street, the West Side Y at 5 West 63rd Street between Broadway and Central Park West and at the American Bible Society at 1865 Broadway and 61st Street. You can also donate coats from November 15th at the American Bible Society and the West Side Y for the duration of the Coat Drive.  More details to come in November, but mark your calendars now!

• WHEN: Monday, November 28, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
• WHERE: The celebration begins with a neighborhood tree lighting at Dante Park, located at Broadway and 63rd Street, and continues along Broadway from Time Warner Center to 68th Street.
• BY SUBWAY: Take the 1, A, B, C or D trains to 59th St/Columbus Circle or the 1 train to 66th Street and Broadway.
• FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.winterseve.org. Or call 212.581.3774 or email info@lincolnsquarebid.org.

By Tim Gibson, New York Cares Team Leader

Ever wonder how those thousands of coats move from a collecting box to the backs of needy New Yorkers?

Well the great annual New York Cares Coat Sort happens on the deserted floor of an office building in lower Manhattan (i.e., the Coat Drive Warehouse – which is actually quite busy this time of year! ED.). Teams of volunteers, from corporate partners, civic groups, our Youth program, or individual New York Cares volunteers, spend weeks ripping open bags and boxes. It’s like a permanent Christmas morning, except nothing is gift wrapped.

Volunteers rapidly examine coats to check their condition and sort them into piles for men, women, children and small children/infants. Volunteers then re-bag them, five coats per bag, and social services agencies come collect and distribute them to those in need. It’s dusty and finger numbing work. The greatest need is for coats for guys, but guys habitually keep their coats longest. Women change their coats more often and therefore those are the coats we get more of. Thus, any large zip front coat that could be used by either sex automatically becomes ‘male’.  By late January, it is all over for another year.

Since many people couldn’t donate coats in late December due the blizzard, we’ve extended coat collections at several locations.  If you have a coat to give, please visit:

• * New York Penn Station, LIRR and Amtrak concourses: Weekdays 7:30-9:30am
• * Port Authority Bus Terminal: Weekdays 7:30-9:30am
• * New York Cares Coat Drive Warehouse, 250 Hudson Street: Weekdays 9:30am-5:00pm
• * Manhattan Mini Storage locations

It’s not too late – help us collect as many coats as possible for New Yorkers who need them during this cold and snowy winter.

Now that the New York Cares Coat Drive is officially kicked off, there’s a lot to look forward to in December. In honor of the month-long coat drive, several New York City sponsors have launched their own promotions to benefit New York Cares. Here’s a look at the special offers available to coat donors:

• JNBY SOHO will give a 15% discount off a new coat and a JNBY designed tote to anyone who brings in a gently used coat to their 75 Greene St. store in Soho.

• Rothman’s Union Square will offer $100 off a new overcoat at their Union Square and Scarsdale locations for coat donors.

• Sprint Sports is offering a 20% discount off a new coat to anyone donating a coat at their 2511 Broadway location.

• Uncle Sam’s Army Navy Outfitters will offer a VIP discount and a limited edition T-shirt to people donating coats at their 37 West 8^th street store.

• On December 12, BUST Magazine is hosting its Holiday Craftacular – donate a coat, and you’ll be entered into a raffle with special prizes.

• On December 15, New York Mets fans that donate coats at Citi Field will receive a free pair of tickets to a Mets game in April 2011 (and more!).

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, this year’s New York Cares Coat Drive is shaping up to be as spectacular as the offers above. For more information on these special promotions and a look at what else we’re offering this month, visit our coat drive sales & promotions page. Happy donating!

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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