Operation: Warm Newport – Delaware KIDS Fund Camping out For Coats is set for Friday, Nov. 13th with over 70 campers sleeping out overnight across 30 different campsites in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
The event will be held virtually this year. The event had featured an overnight campout in Newport.
The Delaware KIDS Fund Camping out for Coats program is an annual challenge-based fundraising campaign that provides new Operation Warm coats for every student at select schools with a high percentage of students facing poverty ahead of the winter season.
The event will be streamed live here and on the Delaware KIDS Fund Facebook page on Friday, November 13 at 6:30 p.m. The live stream will include a virtual check-in for participating campers, virtual fire-side chats with guest speakers, live music with Sam Smick, Billy Pierce, and the Wilmington duo of Skinner and Spadola. The virtual event will also include an online silent auction and video presentations.
Since 2017, Delaware KIDS Fund, founding partner Harvey, Hanna & Associates and Operation Warm, a non-profit coat manufacturer, have collaborated to deliver over 6,000 coats to 6,000 local children at 12 different schools experiencing high poverty rates.
“Camping outside for a night represents a community-wide commitment to warming up local children in need, inspiring confidence, boosting self-esteem, and improving peer acceptance,” said Ryan Kennedy, Executive Director of The Delaware KIDS Fund.
All coats (brand new) will be purchased through Operation Warm and delivered to a local elementary school(s) through a participating sponsor coat delivery parade next week.
On-line donations can be made here. Checks are payable to: The Delaware KIDS Fund and mailed to 405 E. Marsh Lane, Suite 1, Newport, DE 19804.
WSFS food drive
WSFS Bank is asking its associates, customers, and communities to search their hearts, and their pantries, to donate nonperishable food items to provide meals to the food-insecure. WSFS banking locations in the state of Delaware; Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania; and Camden and Burlington counties in New Jersey will be designated as convenient Community food deposit centers as part of the Bank’s annual Fall/Winter Food Drive.
The pandemic has heightened the need for food for many, with more than 54 million people estimated to be food insecure in 2020, according to Feeding America.
The nationwide trend is no less concerning in our region, where the 2020 projected food insecurity rate in Delaware (17.8 percent) exceeds the nationwide projection (16.7 percent), with Pennsylvania (15.9 percent ) and New Jersey (13.5 percent) not far behind.
Through December 11 in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and through December 31 in Delaware, WSFS will collect nonperishable food items and donate them to organizations fighting hunger in Communities the Bank serves, including Wilmington’s Sunday Breakfast Mission. (Del.)
“The need is great, so the collection of nonperishable food from WSFS Bank is critical,” said Rev. Tom Laymon, senior. pastor, president, Sunday Breakfast Mission. “More than 2,000 families throughout Delaware will have a fruitful Thanksgiving and holiday season because of this great food drive.”
The 2020 Fall Food Drive is WSFS’ 17th annual collection. In 2019, WSFS donated nearly 66,000 pounds of food to those in need. Customers and area residents are encouraged to take their nonperishable food donations to participating WSFS banking offices. To find the nearest WSFS Bank location, visitwww.wsfsbank.com.
The WSFS Community Foundation previously provided $300,000 in grants to 21 local nonprofits engaged in the fight against COVID-19. WSFS Bank provided a $200,000 donation to four community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to utilize for relief grants to help accelerate recovery efforts of local small businesses within the bank’s footprint. In addition, WSFS Bank and the WSFS Community Foundation pledged $35,500 to provide hundreds of devices to area students for online learning.
Stuff the Bus underway
DART will hold its 23rd annual “Stuff The Bus” Thanksgiving Food Drive throughout the State starting on November 9 and ending on November 14, with a goal of collecting 20 tons of non-perishable food for Delawareans in need of food assistance. And, we need the public’s help to achieve the goal.
“Stuff The Bus” will be collecting food at seven sites throughout the State.
DART also encourages the public to donate directly to the Food Bank of Delaware; if they are unable to visit any of the “Stuff The Bus” collection sites. For more information on donating food, contact the Food Bank at 302-292-1305, or visit their website at www.FBD.org.
According to the Food Bank, more than 121,800 Delawareans, including more than 38,600 children, are food insecure and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s anticipated an additional 50,000 Delawareans will struggle with hunger.
