Grand Nation/DHS Teaming Up To Collect Coats for Foster Children

Donations of coats, hats and gloves can be dropped off at theGrand Nation office or at Christmas in Vinita event on December 1.

As the weather turns colder and you pull your coat out of storage, take a moment to consider that there are those who will be cold this winter because they don’t own a coat.

Sadly, foster children are often among those without a coat to stay warm.

At the end of 2017, Oklahoma had more than 9,000 children living out of home in state custody. These children range in age from birth to 18 years.

When a child enters the foster care system, they usually do so with little to no personal belongings, including clothes and coats. And, while foster parents do receive a stipend to cover basic needs, it is often not enough to cover all necessities, such as coats.

Grand Nation and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) are teaming up to make sure all foster children in northeast Oklahoma have a warm coat to keep them warm this winter.

The nonprofit grassroots coalition and DHS are holding a donation drive now through December 1. They are asking the community to help by donating new and clean, gently used coats, hats and gloves.

Because foster children range in age from newborn to 18 years old, organizers say coats are needed for both boys and girls in a variety of sizes, from newborn to adult sizes for teenagers. Hats and gloves in all sizes are needed as well.

The new and clean, gently used items can be dropped off at the Grand Nation office, 123 S. Wilson in Vinita. Grand Nation and DHS will also be accepting donations at their booth from 3 to 5 p.m. during Christmas in Vinita, A Hometown Family Christmas.

This first annual community event will be held from noon to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at 214 W. Canadian Ave., in Vinita. The town’s official tree lighting ceremony will take place at 5 p.m.

Caseworkers will be distributing the donated coats, hats and gloves to foster children throughout northeast Oklahoma December 2-15.

For more information on the donation drive, call Grand Nation at (918) 279-2192 or (918) 609-0236. To learn more about Grand Nation and its many programs, visit www.grandnation.org or the Grand Nation Inc. Facebook page.

ABOUT GRAND NATION

Grand Nation is a nonprofit grassroots coalition that has been serving the Grand Lake area since 2012. An umbrella organization for a number of different programs, Grand Nation joins families seeking a better life with the resources and community organizations that can help them achieve their goal. Located at 123 S. Wilson, in Vinita, Grand Nation serves the communities of Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, including Vinita, Grove, Jay, Afton, Ketchum, Langley, Miami, Bluejacket and Spavinaw. The phone number is (918) 276-2192.