Bemidji United Way Preps for Annual ‘Coats for the Community’ Distribution

The United Way of Bemidji Area’s annual Coats for the Community drive has officially concluded, and with their distribution coming up later today, the local non-profit couldn’t be happier with the number of coats and other winter accessories that were donated.

The coat drive is one of United Way’s Community Impact Initiatives aimed to help meet the basic needs of those who may otherwise have to go without, while also helping families become more financially stable. United Way officials couldn’t believe the amount of donations they receive and are very pleased with how much the community came together.

“Our community is so generous. Literally thousands of coats have been donated, along with boots, hats, snow pants, all the winter gear that anyone would need to stay warm in our cold winters,” said Denae Alamano, United Way of Bemidji Area Executive Director. “We have a variety of volunteers and a dozen people from Lueken’s North and South helping us. They’ve helped us multiple years in a row now. And we also had the women’s basketball team from BSU here this morning emptying our trailer and opening all the bags. As usual, it’s a community wide effort to to get set up for tomorrow.”

The coats and winter accessories will be distributed Saturday, October 5th from 9 a.m. to noon at First Lutheran Church in Bemidji. Anyone attending can grab winter items for themselves or their family.