As the seasons change and Erie’s harsh winter weather creeps in, guests at Emmaus know that they can count on the annual coat drive to help keep them warm and dry. The event, an effort of many generous hearts, has been organized by Kelley Glass, Andrea Hallman, and their friends, in memory of Kelley’s father, for twenty-seven years without fail.
This year, the giveaway was held on one of the last summery days of October, with a display of coats, sweaters, and boots available outside, in front of the Emmaus Grove. Guests at the food pantry, assisted by volunteers, looked over a wide variety of donated items, selecting pieces for themselves and their children, trying things on and helping each other find pieces. Most of this outerwear was donated by parishioners at St. Jude’s and St. Patrick’s.
As one elderly woman tried on a thick jacket, she said to her friend, “Thank God that this is happening. It’s already getting cold in the evenings and I didn’t know what I was going to do to get a coat.”
“We are very grateful to all those who donated and who volunteered at this giveaway,” Sister Valerie Luckey, Ministry Assistant, said. “Year after year, this coat drive keeps our guests warm through the winter, when so many spend their days outside in extreme cold. The sweaters and coats the guests received today are a reminder that they are important to us and that many people throughout the city care about their wellbeing.”
Photos (Top to Bottom):
A guest shows off her new coat; Two women search for the right fit; Volunteer Peggy Glass helps a woman try on her jacket; Coats on display.
