As the days get colder, more New Yorkers are in need of coats to keep warm during the fall and winter season. The volunteer organization New York Cares has made providing warm coats for New Yorkers in need a tradition.

The organization is holding its 35th annual coat drive and handed out hundreds of donated coats to students in first through fifth grade at P.S. 171 Patrick Henry in East Harlem Wednesday.

“I got a free coat,” said 10-year-old Mason Ramdeo, one of the lucky recipients.

“When I go snow tubing, I’m going to wear that,” Ramdeo added. “When it be cold outside, I’m going to be wearing that. So when I go rollerblading, I’m going to be wearing that.”

What You Need To Know

  • The volunteer organization New York Cares is providing warm coats to New Yorkers in need
  • The organization is holding its 35th annual coat drive this year
  • Since 1989, the annual coat drive has provided New Yorkers with more than 2 million coats
  • New York Cares has partnered with UPS to deliver the coats to locations in all five boroughs

Mason and dozens of students at the school spent their Wednesday morning trying on and walking away with new coats.

Since 1989, the coat drive has provided New Yorkers with more than 2 million coats.

“There are just so many seemingly huge societal problems, but keeping our neighbors warm is something collectively we can do,” said Sapreeta Saluja, the executive director of New York Cares.

Saluja said the need is growing after the organization received a record 200,000 requests for coats from New Yorkers, including 9-year-old Ava Hargrove, who learned about the drive from her mother.

“She told me to be supportive and get an extra coat because I don’t have one,” Hargrove said.

New York Cares said it is also working with the city to provide coats for migrants who recently arrived in the city.

“All of these amazing migrants who recently arrived in New York City and are about to experience winter for the first time. They too need to be warm, so we’re working with our community partners and city agencies,” Saluja said.

The organization is hoping to collect and distribute more than 100,000 coats this season.

It is also working on a fundraising drive with the goal of raising $600,000 by the end of the year — all to provide to coats to New Yorkers who need them.

Donations can be any size for people of any age — not just for kids.

And donations to children can help the parents as well.

“They were going to take me shopping today, so I’m good,” Ramdeo said.

The costs are a combination of new and gently used items donated from individuals and companies.

New York Cares has also partnered with UPS to deliver the coats to locations in all five boroughs.