Learn about Operation Warm, our mission and work to help disadvantaged children, and how Rotary Clubs partner with us on high impact community service projects.

1. Operation Warm
Brand New Coats for Kids
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2. Imagine if your small club project
grew into a nationally active charity
that helped millions of children have a better life.
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3. Our Origins

4. Operation Warm provides brand new winter
coats to children in need.
Operation Warm has provided a gift of
warmth, confidence and hope to children since beginning in
1998 at the Rotary Club of Longwood by warming 58 kids.
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5. Children in Need
1 in 5 children in the U.S. lives below the poverty line
For a family of four, their income is less than $24,600

6. Children living in low income households are at a distinct disadvantage compared to
children in moderate to high income households.
Academically Unprepared
for School
Reading Below
Grade Level
Drop out
of High School
Likelihood for Low Income Children
Above low income Below low income
2x
4x
5x
Children in Need

7. A Brand New Coat is more than a coat
#morethanacoat
The gift of a brand new winter coat empowers children
by sparking confidence and self-pride
Direct links between empowerment and breaking
free from poverty are real*
Confidence ChangeEmpowerment Success
“I feel like I’ll be protected for the
rest of my life…and the rest of
winter.” – Billy, Washington DC
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*Narayan, D., Pritchett, L., and Kapoor, S. (2009). Moving Out of Poverty, Volume 2: Success from the Bottom Up,
Washington, DC: Palgrave Macmillan and The World Bank.

8. Operation Warm works directly with manufacturers to create our
own line of brand new, high-quality coats for children in need.
• Lots of bright colors and sizes from 2T to Adult XXL
Kid-Friendly Coats designed for Active Play

9. New coat made from
recycled plastic bottles
• Each coat uses plastic from
32 bottles
• Limited supply in 2018
• $30 per coat funding
requirement
New “Green Guardian™” Coat

10. “Thank you for the warm and toasty coat.
When I put it on, I was amazed. I felt like a
fire. I feel like spring in very cold weather.
I love it!”
- Cecilia, age 10
This is the most satisfying thing I’ve done in
15+ years in Rotary!”
- Gina G.
Rotary Club of Levittown-Fairless Hills, PA

11. Over 200 Rotary Club Partners
• 80% partner with schools
• 60% do hands-on coat
distribution
• 76% earned publicity
• 43% used a District Grant
Rotary Involvement

12. How to give new coats to kids:
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Find an organization or school in need of coats
in the K-5 grade range. Consider partnering
with local library.
Find
Get a head count by gender of total coats
needed and size the children.
Host a coat giving celebration for the children.
Don’t forget to do public relations!
Order the coats online from Operation Warm.
Allow two weeks. Funding Requirements:
$18 per child coat, $20 per adult sized coat.
Use your club’s existing fundraiser or start a
new one to pay for the coats. Apply for district
grants! We can provide online Crowdfunding
page.
Size
Fund
Order
Give

13. Warm the Hearts & Minds of Children!
Partner with Neighborhood Libraries

14. “Warming the Hearts & Minds of Children” Library Program
Program Objective
Attract disadvantaged children and their families into neighborhood libraries, proving
libraries an opportunity to showcase their children’s services and programing.
Program Overview
Give new Operation Warm coats and 2 new age-appropriate books to 150 children at a
gifting event held at neighborhood libraries.
Funding Required
$4,000 per library event serving 150 children.
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15. “Warming the Hearts & Minds of Children”
“We put on hundreds of special events each year for the children of Chicago. The
Operation Warm coat gifting events were, by far, the highlight of our year.
Seeing the happiness of these children, who have so little, warms our hearts. Even better,
these events attracted families who had never been inside their neighborhood library.
At the Chicago Lawn pilot program in November 2018, 116 new library cards were issued.
Six months later, 78% of these cards are in active use, demonstrating the program
accomplished its objective.
We find that if we can get a child into their neighborhood library, they are very likely to
return. And the more time a child spends with library programs, our research shows that
their academic performance improves. This is a proven program to do just that!”
Liz Mc Chesney, Director of Children’s Services for the Chicago Public Library
2017 Pilot Program Partner

16. Why Operation Warm?
• Make a Real and Lasting Impact
on Children in Need
• Rotary Club founded Tax-
Deductible 501(c)(3)
• Easy Club Service Project
• Hands on Service Opportunities
• Project Eligible for District
Grants
• Dedicated Rotarian Support Staff

17. Online Fundraising
Tool Available
• Fundraising page dedicated to
your project.
• “Crowdfunding” and “Peer to
Peer” versions available.
• Easy to reach out to members
and friends via email and social
media.
• Raise more funds from non-
members while enhancing you
public image.

18. Q: How much do brand new coats cost?
A: Our brand new winter coats are available for an $18 donation for children’s coats and a $20 donation for adult coats.
Q: Do you offer volume discounts?
A: We offer volume discounts on orders over 1,000 coats. Please email laura@operationwarm.org before placing your online order.
Q: How much does shipping cost?
A: Shipping is FREE
Q: Do you have a minimum order?
A: You will be ordering boxes of 6 coats of the same size and gender, so the minimum order is 36 coats or 6 boxes.
Q: How are Operation Warm’s brand new coats packaged?
A: Coats are shipped 6 per box of the same size and gender, with a mix of colors. We cannot accept orders for less than a box (i.e. for 3 coats in girl’s size 4) or for
specific colors.
Q: How do I get started?
A: Go to https://www.operationwarm.org/get-involved/community-managed-coat-program/sign-up/ and sign up. We’ll give you access to our Partner Portal, where
you can place your order. Then you send your donation and we ship your brand new Operation Warm coats!
Q: How do I make my donation?
A: Please send checks to: Operation Warm, Inc.
PO Box 822431
Philadelphia, PA 19182-2431
Q: Once I place my order online, how long does it take for the coats to arrive?
A: Shipping takes up to 10 days to arrive after placing your on-line order and once we have received your donation.
Frequently Asked Questions

19. Operation Warm
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