FINDLAY, Ohio — Thousands of coats are donated in the Findlay area for those in need every year.
Each year, the Findlay YMCA partners with City Uniforms and Linens to collect, clean and distribute donations as part of Coats for Christmas.
It's an initiative that City Uniforms started 35 ago years, then known as City Dry Cleaning, to make sure no one goes without a winter coat. Over the last few years, they have handed out an average of about 2,300 coats.
"If you need a coat, you can come get a coat," Rich Kramer, president and COO of City Uniforms, said. "And just seeing that need filled, it's so gratifying. It kind of puts everything into perspective, so it makes me proud to be a part of such a great community."
The last two years have been hit or miss since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted donations. But Kramer said he expects the drive to have collected over 2,000 coats.
The crew at City Uniforms will be spending the week with volunteers washing and drying all of the coats.
"We started processing on Friday and we'll continue to wash coats through Thursday," Kramer said. "We don't have a total count. We probably will once we're closer to the end of the week. But, we think it's going to be a pretty healthy year. Based on everything we've heard, more than 2,000 coats."
When volunteers hand out the coats over the coming weekend, Melissa Larocco, the Coats for Christmas chair, said they never ask for proof of need.
"We're all just a couple of paychecks away from needing a coat ourselves, right?" she said. "So there's no shame, just please come out and get a coat. I mean, the volunteers are excited to help, excited to give you a coat. We want you to have a new coat."
The Coats for Christmas distribution will be held at the YMCA East Branch in Findlay on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sunday from 1-3 p.m.