Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard is asking the community to go into their closets and donate new or clean, gently used coats as part of the annual Coats for the Cold coat drive, now through November 30th.
The coat drive was created by Bouchard and has grown over the past 26 years. This year it features a partnership with the Oakland County Pet Adoption Center. For each coat donated (up to five), individual donors may take $10 off the cost of adopting a dog or a cat from the Oakland Pet Adoption Center. Each coat drop-off site is stocked with the coupons so coat donors interested in adopting a pet should ask for a coupon when donating coats. Pet Supplies Plus stores in Bloomfield Township and White Lake are providing pet goody bags for each pet adoption that occurs as a result of the coat drive. Also, Pet Supplies Plus will honor the pet adoption coupons at their Kitty Cities inside the stores.
“Coats for the Cold is a good way to help someone less fortunate stay warm this winter,” Bouchard said. “With the needs of the community so great, we are asking folks to give generously this year. We want to fill up every one of these PODS and boxes with coats and get them to the folks that need them. Also, if we can help find families for the many dogs and cats that are looking for homes, so much the better.”
There are 58 drop-off locations including the pet adoption center on Brown Road, Colony Cleaners in Rochester, Crittenton Hospital, Gold Star Restaurant, Bordine’s Nursery and the mayor’s office in Rochester Hills, and the sheriff’s substations in Oakland Township and Rochester Hills. For a complete list of sites, visit oaklandsheriff.com and click on the Community Services section.
Some drop-off locations have boxes set up for coat collection and some will have PODS (Portable on Demand Storage containers). This is the eighth year in a row PODS has generously offered to be a partner, providing portable storage units at nine drop-off sites. Additionally, 1-800-MINI-STORAGE is partnering again this year by providing the boxes for coat drop-off. Ten local Real Estate One offices are serving as drop-off sites also.
All coats collected during the coat drive will be given to charitable organizations for free distribution to those most in need.
