Gear Up for Winter
Gear Up for Winter
Help Keep Greater Philadelphia Children Warm This Winter
Why Support Gear up for Winter?
- Among Major U.S. Cities, Philadelphia has the highest rate of deep poverty.
- 40% of children in the Greater Philadelphia region live in poverty or a low income home.
- Children are less able to regulate their body temperature compared to adults. As a result, children are more likely to develop significant health effects when they are exposed to environmental temperature extremes.
The Need
Winter in our region can be brutally cold. With energy costs skyrocketing over the past year, many households face “heat or eat” decisions this winter. Unlike food and diaper choices, families cannot change their heating source, giving them no cheaper option to switch to when money is tight. 85% of our Service Partners report that without Cradles to Crayons, they would not be able to provide basic children’s essentials at no cost to the families they work with.
With more than 300,000 children in Greater Philadelphia living in low-income and homeless situations where the cost of a winter coat and boots is often beyond reach, facing winter without the essentials required for health and safety is a challenge. With your help we can ensure we are ready to keep Philadelphia children safe and warm this winter.
Our Response
Cradles to Crayons®’ Gear Up for Winter program distributes warm winter coats and other essentials to families who need them most before harsh weather conditions become an emergency. This winter we will:
- Distribute 20,000 winter coats
- Distribute 15,000 packages of clothing
- Distribute 5,000 winter accessories
Other Ways to Support Gear Up for Winter
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 making the biggest impact.
Drop off your new or gently-used clothing and footwear—especially cold-weather items—at one of our 18 Greater Philadelphia drop-off locations. We’ll work with our volunteers to process your donations and distribute them to local children in need.
Sign up for a fun, hands-on volunteer shift at our Philadelphia Giving Factory. Help process donations and package up essential items to help children get what they need this winter. Sign up with friends, family, colleagues, or as an individual!