116,000 coats distributed to 33,000 families over 16 years
WHAT: 16th Annual CHA Operation Warm Coat
Distribution and Resource Fair
WHERE: UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Road
WHEN: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023
WHO: Volunteers will hand out 5,000 new winter coats
DETAILS: Speaking program at approximately 9:30 a.m.
Last year, Gwenetta Simmons wasted no time signing up for the Operation Warm Coat Distribution. She was the very first registrant.
“I will not miss it and do not want to miss it,” said Simmons, who registered early again this year to ensure her sixth-grader got a brand new winter coat. “It helps that I don’t have to go out in the cold in November to get his coat. And he loves the books.”
CHA is partnering with the national non-profit Operation Warm for the 16th year to give away 5,000 new winter coats to children living in public housing and participants of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. In addition to receiving a coat, kids can also choose from 12,000 new books to take home courtesy of the National Book Foundation and HUD’s Book Rich Environments Initiative.
Distribution will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 at the UIC Forum to CHA families who pre-registered to receive coats. There will also be a resource fair with 30 organizations offering services and giveaways. There will be a speaking program at 9:30 a.m.
About the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA): CHA is the third largest public housing authority in the nation and the largest single owner of rental housing in Chicago. Through its public housing and voucher programs, CHA serves 132,000 people in almost 63,000 households across all 77 of Chicago’s community areas. CHA’s mission is to create and sustain strong communities where seniors thrive and everyone can unlock their economic power, ensuring that every neighborhood in Chicago has quality affordable housing and everyone feels welcome. For more information, visit www.thecha.org
