Bemidji United Way Kicking Off ‘Coats for the Community’ Drive, ‘Business Blitz Day’

The United Way of Bemidji Area is staying busy with various events and fundraisers, and this week, they started collecting donations for their annual Coats for the Community winter clothing drive.

Lueken’s Village Foods North and South and Dress Club Cleaners have set up boxes where people can donate their new or clean, gently used items. Donations of winter coats and snowsuits for men, women, infants, and children are welcome, along with accessories like coats, scarves, gloves, hats, and boots.

“Kids at recess, if they don’t have what they need, to adults—if we’re going to get anywhere in the winter, we got to have the warm gear we need,” said United Way of Bemidji Area Executive Director Denae Alamano. “If you’re pulling out your winter gear and have things maybe that don’t fit you or you want something new for the season, we’d love to have your donations to help. Every year we have about an average of 3,000 cold weather items that go out the door the day of the distribution.”

Donations are welcome through October 7, with distribution day set for October 11 at Bemidji’s First Lutheran Church.

The Bemidji United Way will also be hosting a Business Blitz Day on Thursday, September 18. This is an annual event where volunteers and board members get boots on the ground to visit local United Way businesses and partners to share campaign updates, answer questions, and collect pledges.

“It says a lot about the partnerships we have with the nonprofits that receive the dollars for them to come together and help each other raise dollars for the United Way, and go out and make those asks and get to share how the dollars raised at the United Way impact their nonprofit and the people that they serve,” said Alamano, “We’ve averaged about $20,000 raised that day, which is fantastic.”

To continue their busy week, the Bemidji United Way is also kicking off their annual Campaign for the Community on Wednesday, September 17.