COVINGTON, Ga. — The Johnson family did a lot of Christmas shopping this season, but nothing they bought was for them.
“We all mutually agreed to be part of the Coat Drive. To forego our ‘own’ Christmas shopping for ourselves, and use the money we would have budgeted otherwise to purchase the coats,” Stratford Johnson told Channel 2’s Berndt Petersen.
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Brad’s Coat Drive is the annual effort led by Severe Weather Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Brad Nitz and the national nonprofit One Warm Coat, to provide free warm coats to metro area children and adults who need them the most.
When the Johnsons heard about it, Stratford, his wife Patricia, and their daughter Kira—who is on the autism spectrum and is an important part of this family’s commitment to community service—went all in to help as many as they can bundle up.
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“Are you happy to be helping folks who need a coat this year,” Petersen asked. “Yes,” Kira said.
There are more than 20 donation sites all over the metro, including the Covington Kroger, which is close to the Johnsons’ home.
Every time the big collection box is full, they’re going to alert the local nonprofits working with Channel 2 Action News that will pick them up and distribute the coats.
Patricia has spread the word on social media and to local churches asking for more coats. This family is doing everything they can.
“It’s just a yearning inside. We need to help them any way we can as a family, and make our contribution,” Patricia said.
Last winter nearly 12,000 coats were donated and distributed locally thanks to Brad’s Coat Drive and One Warm Coat.
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