‘Generously giving’: Church collects around 1,500 coats to give out to kids for winter

A church in South Dakota has collected and distributed over 1,500 winter coats for children as part of its annual charity drive.

Harvest Church of Sioux Falls purchased more than 1,500 children’s coats through its yearly Kidz-n-Coats giveaway event—the most coats the charity has received in its 16-year history. Kidz-N-Coats Giveaway Coordinator Teresa Blauwet told The Christian Post that about 1,400 of the coats were given away to needy families earlier this month, while the remaining 100 are slated to be donated to local children-centered charities.

The charity program began in 2009 when Harvest Pastor Charlie Dial’s son gave his coat away to a friend at school, Blauwet explained. “This brought the attention and awareness to them that there are children in South Dakota in the cold winter season who were without proper winter gear,” she said.

“It started small, providing about 20 coats to kids locally. It has continued to grow since then. We now do a large golf tournament to raise funds to purchase all of our coats brand new.”

Blauwet described 2025 as “our largest year,” noting that the program has “slowly grown over the years.” For the distribution, the church oversees one large giveaway event where a child can receive a coat directly.

The remaining coats will be donated to local organizations familiar with children in need. Charities set to receive the coats include Compassion Childcare, Volunteers of America, and foster care networks, among others.

“We believe that in generously giving coats to those who are in need, we are being the light that Jesus instructed us to be,” Blauwet told CP. “Not only are we helping meet a need in our community, we are also training up disciples within our church—disciples who are being taught to love and serve their community around them.”

Harvest Church is not alone in this effort. Since 2009, Greater Grace Temple of Detroit, Michigan, has teamed up with Happy’s Pizza to coordinate “Happy’s Coats 4 Kids.” This effort resulted in around 10,000 coats being given to needy children within the first few years.

Melvin Epps, communications director for Greater Grace, shared with CP in a 2011 interview that numerous parents have told them the program has been a “Godsend.” “We were delighted as we see meeting needs in our community as the church’s purpose—that is, meeting spiritual and natural needs. We believe that love requires taking action,” Epps said.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/church-collects-around-1500-coats-to-give-out-to-kids-for-winter.html

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