It’s been an amazing 13 years since Mobile Edge in Lehighton started the Coats for Kids clothing drive. Your generous donations of children’s coats are distributed around western Monroe, eastern Schuylkill and Carbon counties by Care Net of Carbon County.
The Mobile Edge Coats for Kids Program
In the fall of 2008, Mitch Schaffer and the team here at Mobile Edge started collecting new or gently used kids’ coats around the holiday season after hearing a news report about local families not having the means to purchase winter coats. Now, 13 years later, thanks to the support of our customers and the community, the program has collected thousands of coats as well as dozens of hats, scarves and mittens.
Coats for Kids Goes National
Around 2014, several clients of Schaffer’s other company, 1sixty8 media, joined the Coats for Kids program. These mobile enhancement retailers from Virginia, Minnesota and Michigan followed Mobile Edge’s lead by offering a discount on a remote car starter purchase and installation when a client brings in a child’s coat.
A few years ago, Firstech, the company that manufactures and distributes the Compustar remote car starters that all of these retailers offer, caught wind of the program and contacted Mitch for ideas to help take the program nationwide. Called the Drive for Coats, the program is supported by more than 100 retailers across the United States and Canada. In all, more than 10,000 coats are collected each year for families who can use a hand as the weather turns cold.
Donate a Coat, Save Some Money
For the 2021 remote starter season, Mobile Edge will continue to offer a discount of $25-$50 on most Compustar remote starter purchases when a new or gently used coat is donated. The discount can not be combined with any other offers, and only one discount is available per starter system purchase.
Donations of hats, scarves, mittens and are happily accepted at Mobile Edge, and the team will deliver them to Care Net with the coats they collect.
What is Care Net?
Care Net is a nonprofit organization that supports families and people in our community. Operated primarily by volunteers, Care Net sees 25 to 40 clients each week on an individual basis and offers group sessions to dozens more. Our Coats for Kids program works in conjunction with their annual banquet, save-a-tape program and Carnations for Mother’s Day fundraising efforts. You can find out more about Care Net by visiting their website.
Mobile Edge is Proud to Support our Community
Every fall, the Mobile Edge team is happy to serve as a drop-off location for winter coats. The team loves seeing locals bring in garbage bags full of coats, even when they don’t plan to buy a remote starter. The support of the community is amazing!
If you have any questions about the Coats for Kids program or any of the products or services we offer here at Mobile Edge, call the store at 610-377-2730 or send us an e-mail using the button below.
