Driving Away the Cold is a signature program in cooperation with Operation Warm that started in 2008. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 16% of children in Pennsylvania live in poor families. This percentage equates to more than one half of one million children in just our state. For these families, with an annual income of less than $22,050, purchasing a winter coat for its children may be an insurmountable task.
For the second consecutive year, and on behalf of all of its dealer members, the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation worked to make a dent in these overwhelming numbers with its contribution of 10,000 NEW winter coats for children in the pre-school through elementary school age-range. With the help of Operation Warm and strategically selected social service agencies, these coats were distributed throughout the five-county Philadelphia area to families in need during the last few months of 2009. The gift of a new winter coat builds a child's self-confidence and improves self esteem. For many, a coat from this program is the first item of new clothing they have ever received. Driving Away the Cold helped thousands of kids to arrive to school warm, on-time and ready to learn this winter.
But we didn’t stop there. September 2009 was Driving Away the Cold month. We asked the new car dealers of the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia (ADAGP) to contribute an additional child-size coat for each vehicle sold during the month. This year, 118 dealers backed our effort and contributed an additional 7,878 coats. Over the past two years, our Foundation and its dealer members have warmed the hearts and encouraged the minds of more than 36,000 youngsters. Below is a list of the participating dealerships:
Please note, coats will not be available at these dealerships. The coats donated by the dealerships listed above will be given to children in need through previously selected non-profit organizations.