READING, Pa. – First it was Allentown, then on Sunday, the WFMZ Coat Drive came to Reading.
Vincenzo Davi
Our staff teamed up with the Reading Royals to collect hundreds of coats to donate to people in need. Starting at 1 p.m., the coats were piling up outside the Santander Arena, and volunteers like WFMZ Anchor Karin Mallett were trying to stay warm.
“It’s really cold. It’s really cold out here today, one of the coldest days of the year I think, but it’s important. People in the City and beyond here in Berks County really need to stay warm this winter,” said Mallett.
It’s the second year WFMZ has partnered with the Reading Royals to help everyone in Berks County stay warm.
“You take for granted, when we go out the door and it’s cold in the winter, you grab your coat. Not everybody has that same opportunity,” said Mallett.
The coat drive benefits The Knights Closet, a program through the Reading School District to offer clothing for any student who needs it.
“It was just a tremendous help for them. I think we donated about 400, and so they were thrilled that it was going to be able to benefit so many students,” said Amanda Eckert, the Special Events Manager with the Reading Royals.
It’s only possible thanks to so many donors willing to brave the cold so others don’t have to.
“This is a way you can do some outreach, do something nice for somebody else, and all it takes is a coat,” said Mallett.