Coat giveaway
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WARREN – Like many Mahoning Valley residents, Chyanne Novotny is less than excited about winter's arrival in a few short months, but at least she will be warmer and more prepared for whatever Mother Nature dishes out.
"I'm not ready for it, that's for sure," Novotny, of Niles, said.
Suffice it to say that her level of preparation will be greater this year because of free cold-weather items she and her family received, courtesy of an annual community coat giveaway Friday afternoon at the Warren Family Mission, 155 Tod Ave. NW.
Novotny, along with her son, Joseph Nicolino, 4; daughter Oaklynn Nicolino, 6, and the children's father, Joseph Nicolino, were among those who stood in a long line around the outside of the mission to receive free donated coats, hats, scarves, gloves and mittens in advance of winter.
"My main concern is to make sure they're warm and cozy," Novotny said, referring to her two children.
Unlike their mother, however, Oaklynn and Joseph are looking forward to the colder months, which likely will bring with them opportunities for the children to build snowmen and sled ride, they said.
Also, they will be warm enough to take part in those and other winter pursuits, thanks to having additional clothing to keep them warmer.
"For some people, a coat is just another item in the closet; for others, it's the difference between staying hot and cold," Dominic Mararri, the mission's public-relations director, said. "This event is not just about giving a coat, it's giving hope, and hope lasts all four seasons."
During the last six months, various businesses, donors and others brought in more than 900 coats for Friday's giveaway, Mararri said, adding that 858 people were served at last year's gathering.
In addition, receiving free winterwear as basic necessities takes on heightened significance for many people because they also are struggling with higher food, utility, gasoline and healthcare costs. Some of them may not be able to afford to heat their homes this winter, Mararri continued.
Assisting with part of the legwork Friday was Olivia Simpson, a registered nurse and care manager with CareSource, who joined several other co-workers in sorting and hanging many of the coats. Each volunteer helped one person at a time navigate what was tantamount to a makeshift store, to ensure everyone received what they needed, she said.
Another driving force behind Simpson's desire to donate her time to the effort, which also included sorting the coats by size, was to "give a hug, a smile and to be kind," she added.
"I love working for a company that supports this community experience," the 30-year nurse said, adding that her volunteer efforts also extended to having cleaned and mulched a portion of a Warren park this summer.
Other volunteers included Tia May and Julz Greene, both of whom represent the Delta Sigma Theta sorority's community-outreach committee. The two women spent part of the event assisting individuals who came to "shop" for what they needed to prepare for winter.
The effort also aligned with the sorority's platform, "Many hands, light work," Greene said, adding that five sorority members pitched in to volunteer on behalf of the sorority, which also is a service organization.
The coat giveaway got underway at 11 a.m., but people began lining up outside of the building as early as 7:30 a.m. in 47-degree weather, Greene continued.
In addition, the Warren Family Mission provides free community meals noon to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Last year, the facility served 130,058 hot meals and had 17,921 bags of groceries in its food pantry, Mararri noted.
Also, the mission's clothing room is open 9:30 to noon as well as 1 to 3 p.m. Thursdays, and each individual in need can visit once per month, Paige Campbell, volunteer coordinator, said.
The space may not always have coats available, but will always have clothing items, she added.