HARLEM, N.Y. (PIX11) \u2014 With winter coming right around the corner, students of a New York City school got a coat on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The charity, New York Cares, kicked off its annual Coat Drive at P.S. 161 in Harlem.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Stay connected with community stories that matter: Visit our homepage\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Not only did children receive donated coats at Tuesday’s event, but they also had a chance to meet the FDNY mascot, Hot Dog. Mr. Met and Mrs. Met were also in attendance.\u00a0<\/p>\n New York Cares says they receive over 100,000 requests for coats annually and demand outpaces supply. Last season, the charity organized over 750 collection sites and handed out more than 52,000 coats.\u00a0<\/p>\n “A warm coat is more than something to wear on a cold day. It can help someone feel warm, confident, and cared for,” said Sapreet K. Saluja, Executive Director of New York Cares. “For nearly four decades, the Coat Drive has brought New Yorkers together to make sure their neighbors have what they need to get through the winter.”<\/p>\n The charity first started organizing coat drives in 1989 and has since provided over 2.5 million coats to\u00a0 New Yorkers.\u00a0<\/p>\n To find or support the coat drive, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Andrew Cruz is a digital content producer. A native New Yorker, he joined PIX11 in 2009 as a weather producer. More of his work can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n