WQIO Ohio's Super Station
A longtime Knox County tradition is returning this October as the Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon and Gault’s Plaza Cleaners & Laundromat launch the annual Coats for Kids drive.
The community-wide effort runs from October 1 through October 31, with residents encouraged to donate new or gently used coats, particularly children’s sizes.
Collection boxes will be available at more than 30 locations throughout Knox County, giving businesses, schools, organizations and individuals an opportunity to participate.
The process is simple: community members donate coats, Gault’s Plaza Cleaners cleans them, and local organizations help make sure they reach children who need them. Coats are distributed through Interchurch Social Services and the Salvation Army before the coldest months arrive. Collection boxes are provided by Mount Vernon Pak Mail.
“Every year, I’m reminded that something as simple as a coat can bring an entire community together,” said Alyssa Gomez-Lawrence, president of the Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon.
The 2026 drive follows a major milestone reached last year, when Coats for Kids surpassed 20,000 coats collected, cleaned and distributed since the program began in 1987.
That total represents nearly four decades of donations from residents, businesses, schools, organizations and other community partners.
Organizers say the milestone is worth celebrating, but the need for winter clothing remains. Rising costs and increased demand for assistance continue to put pressure on local families, and a donated coat can help remove one expense for households already facing difficult choices.
Residents can participate by donating a new or gently used coat at one of the participating collection locations throughout Knox County.
For more information about the 2026 Coats for Kids drive, contact Lisa Lloyd at lisa@knoxcf.org.
