07/21/2026
Koats 4 Kids shares new winter gear with 35 schools in Black Hawk County. Last winter we helped our kids with 1,195 new coats, 1,113 boots, 970 snow pants and hundreds of hats, gloves and scarves.
To-Date Totals 2012 - 2025:
Coats 13,177
Boots 10,028
Snow Pants 970
Helping this many kids happens because YOU CARED!
Please share information about our Koats 4 Kids project with your family and friends, church family, co-workers and club members. Donations are a necessity, help making hats, and scarves is too. We have the BEST volunteers and could always use more.
Here are just a few comments written by our school staff members sharing how important the Koats 4 Kids project is for their students and their families. You are making a difference, and it does not go unnoticed.
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I work at both Kittrell and Lou Henry Elementary Schools, and Koats for Kids has made an incredible impact on our students and families by providing coats, boots, and snow pants to children in need. The moment a student receives a new coat is truly magical—you can see it instantly on their face. There’s excitement as they help choose their favorite coat, often followed by a huge smile. Watching students pick out their winter gear, compare colors, and try things on fills the room with happiness and gratitude. What’s especially meaningful, and often unseen, is how Koats for Kids volunteers go above and beyond. They don’t just ensure the sizes are right—they take time to help each child feel confident and cared for. Volunteers thoughtfully help students choose gloves, hats, and scarves that match their coats, making the experience feel personal and special rather than transactional. These donations do more than keep kids warm—they help children feel seen, valued, and ready to take on winter with confidence. Koats for Kids is doing far more than providing winter gear. They are creating joy, dignity, and comfort for children when they need it most, and the impact reaches well beyond the school doors into families’ daily lives. Angela Johnson, Family Support Worker, Kittrell and Lou Henry
Thank you for the incredible work you and your team do through Koats 4 Kids. From a superintendent’s perspective, this support has a direct impact on attendance, student well-being, and readiness to learn. When students lack warm coats, boots, or snow pants, we see increased absences, difficulty getting to school, and added stress on families already facing financial hardship. Koats 4 Kids removes that barrier. Students arrive warm, dry, and able to focus — which matters more to learning than many people realize. Your program also provides dignity. Students receive new winter gear, which builds confidence, reduces stigma, and helps them feel they belong. For families, this support eases a significant financial burden during the winter months. Quite simply, Koats 4 Kids is not an “extra.” It is a foundational support that helps level the playing field so our schools can focus on learning rather than crisis response. Your donors are making a real, lasting difference in children’s lives. We are deeply grateful for your continued partnership and the impact this program has on the Waterloo community. Jared Smith, Superintendent, Waterloo Community Schools
Our staff stay on top of our student needs! Not all students have access to a washer and dryer in their home. A staff member relayed the information that one of our students was in need of a clean, warm jacket that fit the student well. The coat the student was wearing was not the right size and needed a good cleaning. Thanks to Koats 4 Kids, this student could be properly dressed for winter temps and feel good with a clean coat. What the donors do for our students is unmatchable! THANK YOU for all you do for our students and families. Marsha Watters, Counselor, East Waterloo High
As the School Counselor at Orchard Hill, I see the impact of Koats 4 Kids every time the temperature drops. In the school setting, we work to remove barriers to learning. One of the most significant barriers for our low-income students is the lack of proper winter gear. When a student arrives at school cold, or has to stay inside during recess because they don't have a coat, it affects their social-emotional well-being and their ability to focus in the classroom. K4K provides more than just clothing; it provides equity. It ensures that our students can show up to school with dignity, ready to learn alongside their peers, regardless of their family’s financial situation. Our community depends on this program to fill a gap that we simply couldn't address on our own. Please share our deepest thanks with your donors for their decade of support—it truly changes the day-to-day lives of our most vulnerable students. Sincerely, Kelly Moeller, Counselor, Orchard Elementary
I truly have a hard time putting into words how appreciative our staff, students and families are for this program. You have been a blessing to work with throughout the years to get this gear in the hands of our students. We love Koats for Kids because it wraps our students in the support of their community. For many of our families, the cost of winter gear is simply out of reach, but this program ensures no child is left out in the cold. It provides more than just snow pants and boots; it provides peace of mind for parents and a warm, inclusive environment for our students to thrive in throughout the winter months. I see kids come to school in hooded sweatshirts or coats that are too small because their families can't afford a new winter coat for them. I had a family this year tell me they didn't want to send their child to school - even on a bus -- because they didn't have warm enough gear during the "really" cold days. Parents call and ask if their gear has come in because they know their child will need it. Thanks again, Kim Kockler, River Hills School
Dear Koats 4 Kids, Thank-you so much for allowing our students to be able to go outside for recess and not have to worry about being cold. Without your help and support this wouldn’t be possible. We require students to have boots, snowpants, gloves, hats, and coats when they go out to recess and to play in the snow. Some students/families are not able to purchase these items so with your help we are able to make sure every student at our school has what they need. Students are very excited to get their new items. Sometimes they ask me do I get to keep it? And I say yes, it is yours and they get a big smile on their face. Students also like that they get to go ‘shopping’, they get to pick out the color they get and they get that shopping type experience. I enjoy working with Julie and Bruce, they are always so kind and helpful and are willing to get our school a size if they run out. This year we had our distribution in the morning, and then lunches started in the cafeteria. I was in the cafeteria finishing up some things and students would walk over to me and say “look at what I got today!” And they would show me the winter clothing they had just got. I was there when they were picking it out but they were so excited they had to show me again (and I found out they were telling everyone).
As we were setting up I had some students who didn’t need the items talking about how they liked this item or they had boots that looked like these, and so on. It was reassuring to hear that the clothes didn’t stick out as being for students who couldn’t afford them. If you looked at our students I don’t think you could tell who received something and who didn’t. That makes me feel good that they won’t be discriminated against because of that. Students have also asked me where I get all of the winter clothing from. I tell them about Koats 4 Kids and that other people donate money to them. Students are very surprised and then happy to hear that other people care about them, want them to be warm, want to help them out, and will give their own money to help out a student they don’t know. Families are also thankful for this opportunity. I have had families tell me thank you for getting their students some winter clothing. I even have some other parents tell me thank you for the opportunity.
As a school we talk about serving and helping others. Thank you for helping our students by providing winter coats, boots, snow pants, gloves, hats, and socks. As a School Counselor it also makes my job easier by not having to try to find people who can donate items. It also helps our students' mental health by feeling better and included and then that is one less reason a student might need to come and talk with me. Thank you for all that you do. We appreciate you! Amanda McNamara, Professional School Counselor, St. Edward School
Valley Lutheran School has been VERY blessed by the coats and boots received from you. When I call the kids down to try their coats on, they are always a little like "what did I do to get called to the office?!" and then when they get to come to my office and they see beautiful new coats just for them, they get SO excited! The look on their faces when I tell them it's theirs to keep is so amazing to see. I had a mom call me one time, and her English isn't the best, but what I got out was that she wanted to know how much she owed for the coat that came home with her daughter. I told her it was given by the Koats 4 Kids organization, and she said, "oh my goodness, God bless them! God bless them!".
You really are making a difference in our community, so with that, I say "God bless them! God bless them!" Shaylene Scheel, Valley Lutheran Smart School House
I am writing to express my enthusiastic and unwavering support for the Koats 4 Kids project and its extraordinary contributions to the students of the Waterloo Community School District. The recent donation of over 2,200 pieces of winter gear which included coats, boots, and snow pants, alongside hundreds of hats and gloves, is more than just a charitable act; it is a vital intervention for the health and academic success of our youth. Iowa winters are famously unpredictable and can often be unforgiving. When temperatures drop well below freezing and the wind chill becomes brutal, proper winter attire is not a luxury…it is a necessity. For many families in our community, the financial burden of providing high-quality, durable gear for growing children can be overwhelming.
By ensuring that every student is equipped to face the elements, Koats 4 Kids provides:
● Safety and Health: Proper gear prevents frostbite and cold-related illnesses, keeping our children safe during their commute to and from school.
● Consistent Attendance: A student who lacks a warm coat is a student who is more likely to stay home on a bitter January morning. This project removes a physical barrier to the classroom.
● Equity and Dignity: Every child deserves to step onto the playground feeling confident and cared for. This donation ensures that no student is sidelined during recess or feels the sting of lacking what their peers have.
Supporting Koats 4 Kids is an investment in the collective well-being of Waterloo. When we support this project, we are telling our students that their comfort and safety are a community priority. It takes the weight off the shoulders of educators and parents alike, allowing the focus to remain where it belongs: on learning and growth. The scale of this donation, impacting hundreds of students, is a testament to what can be achieved when a community rallies behind a clear, compassionate cause. I I urge local businesses, individuals, and organizations to continue backing this mission. In a place where the weather can be cold, the warmth of our community's generosity must remain even stronger. Thank you to the Koats 4 Kids team for your tireless work and for ensuring that the students of Waterloo are ready to weather any storm. Sheena Canady, Director of Students, Waterloo Schools
We are so thankful for the Koats 4 Kids program. I am on outdoor morning duty, and as the days began to get colder, I worried about some of the students that routinely showed up without jackets.
Thanks to the Koats 4 Kids program, each student that needed a coat got to come in and pick out a coat that suited their style. It is a relief to see them each morning in our cold winter temperatures wearing the coats that have been generously provided for them. They ALL expressed gratitude at the time of receiving them, and a couple students even said, "This is for ME? I get to *keep* this?"
Many of these students would otherwise still be showing up in only sweatshirts if not for the generosity of those that donate to the Koats 4 Kids program. These coats are truly worn daily. Thank you for making a difference!" Stefi Clark, Cedar Valley Catholic Schools
We would like to extend a special thank you to Koats 4 Kids for being such a tremendous blessing to our school. Because of your generosity, our students walk with greater confidence, knowing they are warmly and properly clothed. On a very practical level, you are meeting a real need—but on a deeper level, you are affirming our children’s worth and dignity through your kindness. We are truly grateful to be recipients of such graciousness. Thank you for the love, care, and compassion you show to our students and families. Amber Robinson, Principal Royal Legacy Christian Academy
Koats for Kids has truly been a lifesaver for us at Cedar Heights Elementary over the years. Being able to help several of our families access warm, good-quality winter gear eases a huge burden on them. We are seeing more families each year who need a little extra support, and this program makes a meaningful difference. We are incredibly grateful for this partnership, and our families are too. Our job in schools is to educate students, but we also love and care about them and want them to be warm, safe, and ready to learn. Kids deserve to play outside and move their bodies, even in the winter—and having proper winter gear makes that possible. Thank you for helping our students stay warm and healthy all season long. Jeni Berry, Counselor, Cedar Heights
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I am incredibly thankful for the Koats 4 Kids program and everyone who helps make it a reality. Each year this program provides essential winter gear items for students in need, and the need is great. During the fall of 2024 alone, Koats 4 Kids allowed me to distribute winter gear items (heavy winter coats, boots, and snow pants) to 48 of my K-6th grade students, who otherwise may not have these items. I've had multiple families reach out to me this year expressing how relieved they are that we were able to provide winter gear, as the financial burden of these increasingly pricey items was weighing heavy. The students love getting to try on a brand new coat, pair of boots, or snow pants, and when I tell them that the gear is theirs to keep, the expressions and smiles on their faces are priceless. One student in particular comes to mind this year, as he (a third grader) was so grateful and appreciative of his new boots he told me how much he loved them almost every time I saw him. I know this program would not be possible without the generous support of local donors, so thank you to everyone who has and will continue to contribute. You are making a big difference in the lives of my students and their families! -David Gjersvik, Hanson Elementary
Parents Comments
It helps my family a lot with having what they need for the winter. It’s a big help with having 4 kids and having to take time getting things one at a time for each one to have what they need for the winter this program makes it very easy and very helpful and the kids love it and is very grateful. It gives the proper gear for my children to stay warm with having asthma and keeping them warm
This is the 1st year I needed to utilize the Winter Coats for Kids program due to an unexpected surgery and time off of work unpaid. I worried about buying winter gear this year and this program helped alleviate the financial burden of buying two sets of coats, boots, snow pants. I couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you!
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