St. Mary’s School in Los Gatos Collects Warm Coats for Catholic Charities

As temperatures begin to drop this winter, third-graders put their outreach efforts into action and held a coat drive to collect more than 230 coats for the clients of Catholic Charities who need protection from the winter's chill.

The class, along with their parents, planned, developed, and marketed the coat-drive project, which resulted in a generous response from the St. Mary’s community.

Students promoted the coat drive through ads in the church bulletin, posters on campus, signage in the morning and afternoon carlines, and by word of mouth. Students also staffed the coat-collection bins, sorted, and counted the coats.

"It is rewarding for us to know that others will be a little warmer this winter and to see how the St. Mary’s community responded so graciously to the drive," third-grade teacher Erika Freitas says. "The students' positive attitude, excitement and commitment to the project were a wonderful way to make a difference in the lives of others."