WOW. WOW. WOW.

WOW. That's pretty much all we can say. And thank you. This year 1,063 coats were donated to the Big Warm Up Coat Drive - with more coming in! Insane! These coats will be distributed throughout the area and make over 1,000 people happier and warmer.

These organizations will be receiving coats from the drive to donate to their patrons:

The Haven, PACEM, Jefferson Area CHIP, Region Ten, MACAA Head Start, MACAA's Hope House, Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR), area schools, area family support programs, CDSS, ACDSS, the YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club, LOVE INC, SHE, On Our Own, ASG, Belmont Baptist's Clothing Closet, Betty's Church

Here's some more thank yous for you:

Thanks to Ty Smith from SunTrust for donating 75 lbs of nice UVa athletic gear. This gear was handed out with the coats today.

Thank you to Catherine Potter from SunTrust Mortage for the coats she gathered.

Thanks to Martha Johnson from Wells-Fargo/Wachovia for her donation.

And thanks to Sarah Ashworth, President of BNI, not only donated a nice pile of coats but volunteered as well.

A special thanks to Keith McGilvery for his coverage of our drive on NBC29. Look out for the update!

One (of the many) piles of coats:

Our wonderful, coat-sorting volunteers! Last year we had 4 volunteers on sorting day. This past Saturday we had 23! Thank you to these tireless volunteers (sorting coats isn't as easy as it appears!). They are: Kari Miller, Amy Eastlack, Donna Baker, Emily Martin, Jamie Schwartz, Sarah Ashworth, Elizabeth Carpenter, Marietta Feigert, Victoria Feigert, Debbie Tuler, Kobi Feldman, Aaron Fein, Dahlia Litwick, Coby Fein, Sopher Fein, Karen Shepard, Jason Currier, Bryan Garery, Jordan McDaniel, Alissa Morein, and Ella Wheat.

Thanks again to all!

Next year's planning is already getting underway with plans to get coats distributed by mid-October - before it gets chilly! You can start planning too - large size jackets (XL to 5XL) are in highest demand (although jackets for everyone are needed), and they would be a great item to pick up at the end of season on sale. So if you see one for a good price, please snatch it up!

Thanks again. And again! And again!

A Little About an Organization Doing Big Things

This year we have a new partner, Operation Warm. Big Warm Up, Operating Warm - what's the difference? Well, The Big Warm Up collects new and used coats for all people in need in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, while Operation Warm is a nationwide effort, that has distributed over 600,000 new coats to school children in the past decade. Operation Warm believes that "every child, wearing a new winter coat, will be healthy, able to attend school regularly and develop strong self esteem". The partnership, of course, is a natural one, as the Big Warm Up believes coats are essential to keeping everyone healthy and active in the winter.

If you don't have any coats around to donate, then please donate money to Operation Warm. Just $15 can help to provide a new coat to a child in our community. For more information on Operation Warm, check out their site. For more information on donating locally, contact Valerie Morini at valeriemorini [at] gmail [dot] com. She's a UVa Alum who works for Operation Warm and is working with UVa students to raise money on Grounds to get coats to kids in our area.

The Coats Have Piled Up!

WOW. We are blown away by how many coats are getting dropped off - and very thankful! The drive is running for only a few more days. Let's aim to double last year's coat count and make 1500 (!) people warmer this winter!

Check out this pics of coats and parkas stacking up at MACAA.

Two More Shout Outs (and two more drop off spots!!!)

We want to thank two fabulous businesses in town who have dedicated space within their establishments as drop-off points for Big Warm Up coats. Thanks to Pampered Pets and Mincers for taking in coats for us!

A Big Ole Shout Out...

...to Hollymead Elementary's PTO! This group of fabulous parents gathered over 100 coats for the Big Warm Up.

Thanks Hollymead moms and dads!

Big Warm Up Makes the News!

The Big Warm Up made the evening broadcast of Charlottesville's NBC29 newscast this week. It's been a great plug for the drive and people have been calling in to know more about the drive and to donate. Thanks NBC29 for your help getting the word out!

Miss the broadcast? Watch the video here.

Let's make this year's drive surpass last year by leaps and bounds!

Coats! Bring Out Your Coats!

The Big Warm Up 2010 is officially on! We are collecting coats now thru December 3rd during regular business hours at the Haven at First and Market and MACAA. PLUS we will have collection bins around UVa Grounds.

As it's getting colder please remember those in our community who don't have a warm coat to wear when walking to school, waiting for the bus, riding their bike, or maybe to wear at home because the heat doesn't work. If you have a coat to spare, send it our way!