COATS 4 KIDS

In 2017 we launched a community project called Coats4Kids as a way of providing practical support to our community. The project provides a winter coat for primary school aged children (in years Reception to Year 6) whose parents do not have the funds to purchase one.

The coats are brand new, and we also provide a hat and a pair of gloves to each child receiving a coat to ensure they are extra warm! To date we have given over 300 coats to children in Redbridge alone.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

As a church, our community is at the heart of what we do. We advertise to our congregation that the Coats 4 Kids initiative is taking place and we give them the option to be a part of it. We ask those who show interest to buy a brand-new, full length winter coat for a child aged between 4–11 years old, and then we wait. The coats then come flooding in! Every year, we receive more coats than we can give out! Those who are not able to go out and buy a coat for a child prefer to give money so that we can buy the coat on their behalf.

The Coats4Kids Community Project runs from September to December each year. However, we start the referral process from July to give us plenty of time to register each child, purchase the coats and arrange collection dates in advance.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The following process has been put in place to ensure these coats are given to those who meet the criteria.

The child:
  • Must be a Redbridge resident.
  • Must reside with a vulnerable family who is experiencing financial hardship and is unable to afford a child’s winter coat.
  • Must be within the ages of 4-11 years. (Primary School)

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP

You can help in 3 ways, to ensure every child has a warm coat for the winter months:

  1. Please pray that each family that needs this assistance will be referred to us via the child’s school, the local authority, or associated organisations.
  2. You can purchase a winter coat for a child aged 4-11 and bring it to the church for allocation. Please ensure the coat is thick enough and long enough to keep a child warm in the coldest weather. Black or navy-blue coats are preferred as some schools do not allow other colours to be worn.
  3. You can donate funds for the coat to be purchased on your behalf and allocated to a child.

If you have any further questions regarding the Coats4Kids Community Project, please email info@citygates.london.