It’s been a bit busier than usual lately at What Kids Need Moncton. Located in the basement of a former school in Riverview, founder and executive director Amanda Pooley and her team collect and give away clothing for young families. “Everybody is hurting right now. The cost of living continues to go up and you can barely pay your daily bills. How are you supposed to pay for the extra stuff, like snowsuits, or school supplies or Christmas?” said Pooley. Pooley has been collecting winter clothing donations for over a decade. She’s seeing more people in her place right now, because Moncton Headstart is not holding its annual Coats for Kids program this year. Moncton Head Start executive director Caroline Donelle said last winter was the final year for that program. Coats for Kids collected 450 coats last year and distributed them to various charitable organizations around the city. That’s down from roughly 1,000 coats a season a few years ago. “Winter-wear donations have declined as demand has risen. With a limited budget and a small, very busy staff, we do not have the capacity to run Coats for Kids and Toyland back-to-back each season,” said Donelle in an email to CTV News. Donelle said every child enrolled at Moncton Headstart will receive a new snowsuit each winter. “That commitment continues,” she said. Donelle thanked everyone who made a past donation to keep children warm. “We hope another organization will take Coats for Kids forward for the wider community,” said Donelle. That’s partly why Pooley’s organization is so busy. She said the end of the Coats for Kids program will create a void in the community. “It’s because there isn’t another organization that is sharing that part of the burden. It kind of has all fallen on us and we’re doing our best and trying to get the word out there that we’re collecting so we can keep our rack full and help as many families as we possibly can,” said Pooley. Tammy Daigle is the tenant service housing manager for the United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeast New Brunswick. Daigle has been collecting coats, sleeping bags and other items for people they assist. “We house the chronically homeless. We bring them from chronic homeless into our buildings. We give them everything they need, and they have guests that come visit. We give them, if they need boots or a jacket, so all of our buildings, everybody has a coat,” said Daigle. Daigle wasn’t aware Moncton Head Start ended its program. “I think it’s going to create a huge void,” said Daigle. For the past six or seven years, the Knights of Columbus in Moncton have been purchasing brand new coats and donating them to Moncton Headstart, but Norman Gallant said things will be different this year. “We give them to the YWCA, if we don’t give them to our members’ kids or kids that are in need. We give the rest to the YWCA and they distribute them,” said Gallant. “We give 48 coats a year and they go like wildfire.” Caroline McGraw has been collecting gently used items for a clothing drive for four years. She donates whatever gets dropped off to a local school to help families directly. “I’m located in the Moncton east area where there’s a great need for newcomers or families that may require a little bit of help this season,” said McGraw. McGraw said a good tip for people who want to make a donation is to make sure the items are in good shape and clean. “If you have pets, please keep the pet hair at home,” said McGraw. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
