Kiwanis Coats for Kids provides coats, boots, hats, and gloves for children of Monroe County in the Switzerland of Ohio School District.    

In the first week of September each year, all students in the Switzerland of Ohio school district receive an application for the program. Students qualify for the program if they qualify for free or reduced lunch in the school district.

Kiwanis Coats for Kids then ensures each child who qualifies receives a certificate to use to shop for coats, boots, hats, and gloves at a local Walmart store with which they partner. There are usually 300 – 400 students who participate in the program each year.

Kiwanis Coats for Kids typically raises funds through the donations from area churches and organizations and personal donations each year as well as through two fundraising events each year. With the pandemic, the fundraisers were not able to be held in 2020, which means that without additional dollars they may not be able to reach the same number of children. 

The work of organizations like Kiwanis Coats for Kids is always needed to help support the region’s children, but this year has been especially challenging for families as well as the organizations that serve them. With many fundraisers canceled due to the pandemic, service organizations are struggling to meet rising demands from families across the region.