Ever since 2008, the Derby-Shelton Rotary has been working to make the cold New England winters a bit more comfortable for the kids in TEAM Inc.’s early childhood programs. In its earliest years, the Club provided new winter coats for the children supported by donations from Club members. That very first year the Club donated 87 jackets to students. That program also included sneakers one year. In 2021, the Club also secured a District Matching Grant from Rotary and this provided97 new coats and 36 new pairs of shoes. To date (2024), the Club has donated 1,192 coats and 36 sneakers.
Operation Warm is a national nonprofit that manufactures brand-new, high-quality coats and shoes for children in need. Along with the tangible benefits of a coat and shoes, Operation Warm is about so much more: everything kids can do – and the opportunities they can access – when they have new, weather-appropriate apparel. Beyond physical warmth, the coats and shoes help children feel the confidence they need to socialize and succeed and the emotional warmth that comes from knowing Rotary cares.
Video from the very first year that Derby-Shelton Rotary participated:
Video from our 2009 Project: