Each year, our club sources, purchases, sorts, inventories, and delivers quality winter coats to children in need across the Burnaby School District. Beginning in the second week of October and running through mid-November, our volunteers stock and load a dedicated delivery truck and bring coats directly to schools and community organizations. But we don't stop when the calendar says to; when additional requests come in after our main distribution, we respond and make sure every child who needs a coat gets one.
In 2025, our club distributed over 1,300 coats to children across 31 elementary and secondary schools and 6 community organizations in Burnaby. Children were identified by school social workers and counsellors as being in genuine need of warm winter clothing, ensuring coats reached those who needed them most. Following our main delivery period, we continued responding to additional requests from organizations across the community.
Collectively, Rotarians from RC Burnaby Metrotown, and our supporters, contributed approximately 400 volunteer hours. Staff from local businesses and generous community donors also rolled up their sleeves alongside our Rotarians — helping stock the delivery truck, sort and organize coats, and assist children in selecting the right colours and sizes.
This project succeeds because of the generosity of our community partners:
- Burnaby Neighbourhood House has been a proud partner since the project's inception, providing essential administrative support including bookkeeping and the issuance of tax receipts for donations.
- Zeemac generously provides a delivery truck free of charge, along with hands-on help on delivery days.
- Hemlock Designs designed and produced a custom decal for the delivery truck, proudly displaying our Coats for Kids project and the names of all our sponsoring partners.
Access to warm clothing is one of the most fundamental humanitarian needs. A winter coat means a child can get to school comfortably, focus on learning, and face the cold months ahead with confidence. For many families in our community, that coat makes all the difference.
To donate, volunteer, or learn more about the Coats for Kids project, please contact us.