Annual “Coats for Coffee” Drive to Benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence Kicks-Off on October 20

PROVIDENCE, RI – With winter just two months away, two local companies are once again stepping-up to help children and families stay warm. On Monday, October 20, Seven Stars Bakery and Courtesy Cleaners will kick-off the 7th Annual “Coats for Coffee” drive to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence.

Between October 20 and October 26, Seven Stars Bakery and Courtesy Cleaners locations will collect gently-used winter coats for distribution to children and families in need through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence. Last year’s effort generated over 400 coats, a goal the partners hope to exceed in 2014.

“We continue to be extremely grateful to Seven Stars Bakery, Courtesy Cleaners and everyone who supports the annual coat drive, which is an important effort that helps hundreds of our member families,” said Nicole Dufresne, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence. “When you stop and think about the fact that more than 80 percent of the children we serve each year live below the Federal Poverty Guidelines, it underscores the importance of how our community rallies together around this drive.”

Throughout the week-long effort, members of the community may visit any of Seven Stars Bakery’s three locations, as well as Courtesy Cleaners’ seven stores, to donate a coat and receive a voucher for a free cup of locally-brewed coffee. On the drive’s first day, Seven Stars will also give donors a free pastry in addition to their coffee. The collection, which is strategically timed to coincide with when many begin to think about winter clothing and go through their closets, has generated more than 2,500 coats since its inception.

As part of the initiative, Courtesy Cleaners is donating their services to prepare each garment for their new home. Courtesy will collect the donated coats from each drop-off location and dry clean them at their Johnston facility before delivering them to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence. The drive is also supported with the promotional assistance of Providence Monthly.

Members of the community may visit any one of Seven Stars’ three locations to make a donation: 342 Broadway in Providence; 820 Hope Street on Providence’s East Side; and 20 Newman Avenue in Rumford.

Donations will also be accepted at each Courtesy Cleaners location: 177 Sockanosset Crossroad in Cranston; 1000 Division Road at East Greenwich Square; 165 West Main Street in North Kingstown; 1385 Mineral Spring Avenue in North Providence; 139 Pitman Street on Providence’s East Side; and 1889 Post Road and 1060 Toll Gate Road in Warwick.

About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence is “to enable and inspire children and youth, especially those from diverse or difficult circumstances, to reach their full potential as productive and responsible members of their community.” For 145 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence have provided a safe and positive learning environment for youth in the neighborhoods where they live. For more information, visit www.bgcprov.org.

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