SAN ANTONIO – The days of cold weather are upon us, and a San Antonio councilman is asking for the community’s help to make sure people in our community stay warm this winter.
District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo is helping collect coats that will benefit two local nonprofit organizations, to help both children in crisis and people experiencing homelessness.
“It’s about supporting the most vulnerable in our community, whether it’s youth that are going through challenging times or people who are living on the streets right now,” Bravo said.
Bravo partnered with the nonprofit Roy Maas Youth Alternatives and Corazon Ministries for the “Share the Warmth Coat Drive.”
“It can be scarves, winter hats, gloves, and coats of all sizes too. Everything from a children’s small all the way to an adult extra-large,” Bravo said.
For children staying at Roy Maas Youth Alternatives, these donations make a big impact.
“For some of our kids, they come with nothing except the clothes on their back,” said Julie Strentzsch, chief operating officer at Roy Maas Youth Alternatives.
Youth come to this facility for a variety of reasons.
“A large number of them are youth that cannot live at home anymore due to abuse, abandonment, or neglect. And so they’re part of the foster care system,” Strentzsche said.
The coats collected will be distributed to over 100 youth ages 10 to 23.
Strentzsche hopes to collect enough coats for all of the youth they help and want to be prepared for severe weather.
“Last year we called it SNOVID, the intersection of COVID and the Snowpocalypse. It was really hard, and we didn’t have a lot. We had kids wrapped in blankets because we didn’t have enough coats. So, this is really going to make a difference,” Strentzsche said.
For those interested, you can drop off new or gently used cleaned coats sizes kids small to adult XXL to these locations until next week:
- District 1 Field Office, 1310 Vance Jackson Road, San Antonio, 78201
- Landa Library, 233 Bushnell Avenue, San Antonio, 78212
- Westfall Library, 6111 Rosedale Court, San Antonio, 78201
- Central Library, 600 Soledad Street, San Antonio, 78205
- San Pedro Library, 1315 San Pedro Avenue, San Antonio, 78212)