A Letter From Operation Warm!
We have just served our one millionth child! Can you believe it? Second-grader Imani from Philadelphia received the millionth Operation Warm coat on February 27. “I love my new coat because it’s pink and pretty,” she said. We celebrate this milestone with pride and gratitude, because none of this would be possible without you, our supporters, volunteers, and community partners from throughout the years!
We never set an ultimate goal when we started putting coats on children. We set out, simply, to help people. When your heart is big and your mind is set, there’s always a way. And now that we’ve reached a milestone, we can’t stop. We usually ask for your support in the fall, but this year is different. Now is the time to get a head start on the NEXT Million!
Now is the time, because families like Imani’s must still ask themselves, “How do we cover all our necessities on a limited budget?” The Great Recession inflicted long-lasting damage to America’s poor. With 16.4 million children already in poverty, the number of poor is increasing, and is expected to increase further, despite the recovery. You’ve likely heard a story personally, of a family one crisis away from losing their home -- one medical emergency, one unexpected car repair, one job loss. That dollar can only stretch so far.
Where do we start when the need is so great? We can’t solve all the world’s problems. But a coat on a child provides warmth. How simple. Together, we can change the world, one child at a time.
To be a parent who is unable to provide for their children is an incredible emotional hardship. But when others help them to help their children, it gives parents a sense of dignity and pride to know that they can do it. Watch a parent as their child tries on a new coat, and you’ll understand. They step back, just nodding their head, tears rolling down their face, thinking, “My child’s being taken care of.”
Operation Warm is poised and excited to serve our next million children. With support from people like you who share in our mission, we hope to reach one million more children in the next several years. Please watch the NEXT Million Video, and donate to the NEXT Million campaign. Let’s not leave even one child in the cold.
With sincere gratitude,
Carey M. Palmquist
Executive Director