Coats for Kids is a organization that has been hosted by Anton’s Cleaners since 1995. Triton has boxes at the school in order for students, teacher, staff and Parents to be able to donate coats for kids and adults in need. Triton will have boxes at school from October 16th to January 8th. The boxes are located in the main office, the nurse’s office, and the library. Coats for kids is run by the nurse and the community service club. The coats are donated at Anton’s Cleaners, Enterprise bank, Jordan’s Furniture and participating school locations such as Triton and others. Then the coats are sent to Anton’s Cleaners to be cleaned professionally, then locally distributed to those in need by Partners Inc. Over 90 social services agencies make sure that those in need get a coat.

A total of 250 schools and 300 companies participate in helping coats for kids. Over 60,000 coats are donated a year.  There goal is to give everyone a coat who may not be able to afford one. Over 800,000 coats have been cleaned free of charge, then donated in the last 22 years. This organization is helping many families stay warm.  Mrs. Mary Goldsmith, the school nurse, has been involved in Coats for Kids every year since she started working at Triton. The growth of the donations grow every year as the Triton community continues to donate coats. When asked what do you hope to get out of coats for kids,  Goldsmith says “A lot of warm kids this year.” Triton added an extra box this year because of how well they did in the past with donations.

In order for people to donate Mrs.Goldsmith makes announcements and there are also flyers all around the school. The community service team worked hard on decorating the donation boxes. They also work with Anton’s Cleaners by picking things up from them such as supplies. They also bag up the donated coats and bring them to Anton’s to be cleaned. Students at Triton know all about the Coats for Kids and want to help. When 11th grade Kelley Frithsen was asked why she helps with Coats for Kids she said “Being able to provide coats for people who need them for the very cold winters.”

Triton wants to get as many coats as they can donated because even some of the students at triton cannot afford to buy a winter coat. As a community at Triton we want everyone to be able to stay warm during the cold winter days when they come to school or when there parents go to work.

        “We want as many coats as we can get. This is providing warmth for the winters we have here” said teacher Jen Scott who is helping with Coats for Kids.  Coats for kids have helped many people locally and in other area’s. Antons Cleaners, Triton and many other companies and school just hope that everyone who needs a winter coat gets one this year and more people keep donating their coats.