Several Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students will be a bit warmer this winter thanks to a recent community coat drive. Coordinated by the Charles County School Bus Contractors Association (CCSBCA), the coat drive resulted in a donation of more than 250 brand new winter coats for children. The coats were received through community donations.
This is the fifth consecutive year the association has coordinated a community coat drive to benefit CCPS students. Representatives of the association delivered the coats by school bus to CCPS pupil personnel workers and community school coordinators on Nov. 1, who in turn pulled several for students attending their respective schools to hand out. By the end of the day, all coats had been sorted based on size, picked up by CCPS staff and were on their way to their new owners.
Bethany Goodwin, CCPS youth in transition coordinator, partners with the association annually on behalf of the school system to ensure children have items they need to stay warm during the winter season.
“This is the fifth year of our partnership with the contractors association and the coat drive. We look forward to this every year because we know the impact it has on children and families, and the smiles kids will have after they receive a brand-new warm coat,” Goodwin said.
Delivering the coats to CCPS were Jessica Beckman of Stanley Bus Service; Adam Dyson of Swann Transportation; Beverly Hill of H & H Bus Service; and Mark and Ashley Koch of Koch Trucking.
The association launched the coat drive in early October and partnered with Shore United Bank to identify branch locations where community members could drop off coat donations. The coats were then collected, boxed up and ready for delivery to the school system. This year’s donations included all brand-new winter coats in a variety of sizes.
Sheryl Morrison, a longtime CCPS pupil personnel worker who serves schools on the Western side of Charles County, said the students she passed out coats to were excited. “A kindergarten teacher reported that her student was so excited after he got a new coat that he didn't want to take it off,” Morrison said.
The coat drive hosted by the CCSBCA is one of several community-based activities that benefit CCPS students and families. The school system has partnered again this year with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office on its Shop with a Cop program, and is partnering with LifeStyles, Inc., End Hunger Charles County and the sheriff’s office on an upcoming event, A Day of Thanksgiving and Service, on Nov. 23 at St. Charles High School.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,598 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).