Bozeman schools are once again collecting coats, boots and other cold-weather gear for their Warm Winter Drive — and organizers say the need this year is greater than ever.
“This is a great example of another coat we could take. It’s nice and thick,” said Amelia Huba, program associate for family school services, as she sorted donations.
Huba runs the annual clothing drive, which aims to make sure every student in the valley has proper winter wear to withstand the frigid Montana temperatures.
The Bozeman School District's Warm Winter Drive highlights a growing community need, with 351 students requesting assistance this year.
“As you know, it gets down to minus 20 pretty frequently here,” she said. “The Warm Winter Drive aims to make sure every student in the valley has clothing that fits them and keeps them warm.”
Last year’s drive set records.
“Last year was our biggest year to date,” Huba said. “We had about 250 students requesting items, and we received about $10,000 in donations between in-kind and check donations.”
The drive provides students with warm — and sometimes fashionable — items, such as an Andrew Marc jacket, Huba displayed. But this year, the requests have surged.
“This morning, when I checked, we had 351 students asking for items, which is a huge increase. The first year I was here, it was around 50 students,” she said.
Many of those students face housing instability.
“We have several students staying in shelters like Haven or Family Promise, or at HRDC,” said family school services coordinator Anna Edwards. “Some families are living in their vehicles or are not housed at the moment.”
Edwards connects families to resources under the McKinney-Vento Act — a federal law ensuring all students have equal access to education regardless of housing status.
“Pre-K through 12th grade, last year we had over 200 students who qualified for McKinney-Vento. We had over 200 the year before as well. That number has just increased over the years,” Edwards said.
Beyond coats and boots, the program also supplies other essentials.
“We do have a shelf at both Gallatin and Bozeman high schools,” Edwards said. “A lot of what we provide and donations that are needed are food items.”
The list also includes cleaning supplies, feminine hygiene products, deodorant, and other personal care items.
Huba said donations can be made at all 12 Bozeman schools as well as Dry Fly Saloon. The goal is to fulfill all requests before Thanksgiving break.
“We’ve only received a few donations so far,” she said. “It’s such a great feeling knowing we’ve taken that pressure and stress off parents — and the kids get excited to have clothing that looks like that of their peers, to have something new for the season.”
To learn more about ways to donate, click this link:
