Local agencies team up for winter coat and gear drive
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Greene County and Loved Again Charities are teaming up for their second annual Children鈥檚 Winter Coat and Gear Drive.
New and gently used coats, boots, gloves, hats and scarves may be donated at the CASA office, located at 52 S. Church St. in Waynesburg, at any time before Nov. 30.
The distribution of winter gear will take place during Waynesburg鈥檚 Holiday Open House Dec. 3.
Aaron Houser, CASA executive director, said the initiative began last year when he met Tammy Davis, president of Loved Again Charities, and the two began brainstorming ideas about a winter drive.
鈥淭ammy had already begun collecting winter clothing donations and her agency had been putting together emergency 鈥楪o鈥� bags containing clothes, toiletries and other items,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e got to know each other because those emergency bags are used by CYS and other agencies we are affiliated with.鈥�
Once they began talking, Houser said Davis told him her agency had an influx of winter clothing and she wanted to coordinate a coat distribution, but her office wasn鈥檛 large enough.
鈥淚 took a look around the CASA office and I told her, 鈥業f you got the gear, we got the space,'鈥� he said. 鈥淭hanks to the Greene County community and its army of volunteers, we pulled it all off in three weeks.鈥�
Although the limited time frame was challenging, Houser said he was pleased with how well the initiative came together.
鈥淥nce we got the word out, people were chipping in to help and donate,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he sentiment was shared by everyone involved: It鈥檚 a worthwhile cause, so why not try?鈥�
Houser said more than 60 children were present for distribution, and by the end of the week nearly 100 were able to receive winter gear.
鈥淟ast year we were able to outfit 96 local children with winter gear, including coats, boots, hats, gloves, sock, blankets and scarves,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e anticipate a higher need this year, and we are preparing to completely outfit 150 children.鈥�
Scott Kelley, president of the CASA board of directors, said this year鈥檚 initiative has been off to a good start thanks to community efforts.
鈥淭he Greene County community has poured out their hearts and emptied their closets to support this event and these kids. It鈥檚 truly humbling to be a part of that,鈥� Kelley said. 鈥淒onations have come in from across the county. Private donors, local churches, and other nonprofits and agencies have all given winter gear or promised volunteer hours.鈥�
Houser stressed, however, that coats, boots, blankets and socks are still needed, and residents are encouraged to drop off new and gently used items at the CASA office before Nov. 30.
All Greene County children, ages birth through 17, are invited to stop by the CASA office Dec. 3 during the Waynesburg Holiday Open House, and no appointment or RSVP is needed.
Incorporated as a nonprofit in 2018, CASA of Greene County immediately began training local volunteers to serve as court appointed advocates for children. Houser said these volunteer advocates are appointed by the county鈥檚 court of common pleas to the most sensitive and problematic cases currently moving through the county鈥檚 Children and Youth Services.
鈥淐ASAs serve as a friend and mentor to their assigned child and as an independent advocate to the court,鈥� he explained. 鈥淐oncerned members of the community created CASA of Greene County and got it off the ground in 2018. Since that time, our volunteer Advocates have donated well over $100,000 in volunteer hours to the 52 local children that CASA has advocated for to date.鈥�