Gear Up for Winter
Gear Up for Winter
Help Keep Chicagoland Children Warm This Season
Our Gear Up for Winter initiative supplies winter gear to local children whose families struggle to afford these expensive items.
Help us reach our goal to distribute: 50,000 winter coats, 25,000 warm winter Outfit Packs (each including one week’s worth of clothing items), and 20,000 winter accessory packs.
Donate now to help keep children warm
There’s a way for everyone to make a difference!
Ways to Support Gear Up for Winter
Drop off your new or gently-used clothing and footwear—especially cold-weather items—at one of our 50+ Chicago drop-off locations. We’ll work with volunteers to process your donations and distribute them to local children.
Help children stay warm this winter by collecting coat donations in your workplace, school, or community. Check out our resources to help make your drive a success—plus our team is here to help you every step of the way!
Sign up for a fun, hands-on volunteer shift at our Giving Factory. Help process donations and package essential items to help children get what they need this winter. Sign up with friends, family, colleagues, or as an individual!
Volunteer in The Giving Factory
Help keep our Giving Factory shelves full of the winter essentials we provide. We update the items on our Amazon Wish List every month to highlight our most needed items, so your donations are always having the biggest impact.
Hosting a virtual coat drive is an easy and fun way to help us provide 50,000 coats to kids this winter. Start your Coats for Kids virtual fundraiser, where every $15 is enough to provide 1 coat.
We offer FREE door-to-door donation pickups in select Chicagoland neighborhoods. The process is simple: schedule your pickup date, bag your donations, and leave them outside for our team to pick up. Find out if we’re picking up donations in your neighborhood today.
The Need in Chicagoland
Winters in our region are brutally cold, and rising energy costs force many households into “heat or eat” decisions. 1 in 2 children in Chicagoland face Clothing Insecurity, and without winter coats, boots, and other warm essentials, kids risk health issues and are often excluded from recess and play.
87% of our Service Partners say they rely on Cradles to Crayons to provide children’s essentials at no cost. With your help, we can keep Chicagoland children safe and warm this winter.