Town Crier Articles

As winter approaches and the temperature drops, 53 children in the Williamsburg area will have new winter coats to keep them warm thanks to the generosity of New Town residents.  Since October, a group of New Town neighbors has collected new and like-new coats for children of all ages who are in need.  

 

How much need is there in our greater Williamsburg community? The poverty rates in the city of Williamsburg and James City County are 15% and 7%, respectively. This translates to nearly 8,000 individuals, many of whom are children. Recognizing this need, several New Town neighbors initiated Coats 4 Kids.  

 

Recently, an initial batch of donated coats was delivered to Williamsburg House of Mercy and FISH, Inc.  These organizations were selected because of their respective missions and their capability of distributing coats to those most in need.  Williamsburg House of Mercy (https://williamsburghouseofmercy.org) provides supportive and emergency services to individuals experiencing homelessness as well as to those vulnerable individuals struggling to maintain housing.  FISH, Inc. (https://fishwilliamsburg.org) is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that maintains a Food Pantry and a Clothes Closet that serve area families in need.

 

   

 

Both of these organizations were very appreciative of the coats donated through our Coats 4 Kids initiative.  Individual donations of food and clothing are also much appreciated throughout the year.  Additionally, there are opportunities at each organization for interested individuals to volunteer their time and talents. Please visit their websites for more information.

 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to Coats 4 Kids.  The final opportunity for New Town neighbors to make a coat donation will be at the December 7th New Town Dessert Fest.  If you are unable to attend this event, but still wish to donate a new or like-new coat, you can make other arrangements by contacting Gale Hyatt (ladyhappy73@gmail.com) or Eden Glenn (edenaglenn@gmail.com.)