With temperatures in near single digits throughout New York City, the 37th Annual New York Cares Coat Drive couldn’t have come at a better time. Teaming with the New York Yankees, the organizations came together to donate roughly 600 winter jackets to children in need from two Bronx elementary schools.
New York Cares is the city’s largest volunteer organization. With over 66,000 volunteers, the organization conducts thousands of projects a day and operates within over 400 schools and nonprofits, serving those in need all around the five boroughs.
Whether it’s caring from students to senior citizens, helping out at food pantries, community centers, and parks, or even helping you do your taxes, New York Cares’ presence is everywhere and are helping in any way they can. Since the coat drive started in 1989, the organization has distributed over 2.5 million warm winter coats to New Yorkers, with 50,000 alone in 2025.
Every year for the drive, schools will send in a number of winter coats needed for students, where the organization goes on to select who will be partaking. This year, PS 294 Walton Avenue School and PS 311 Lucero Elementary School were chosen for the jackets to be distributed.
Hosted at the school, the morning was filled with happiness, laughter, and music. As students walked into their winter wonderland transformed cafeteria, they were greeted by school staff, New York Cares personnel, and members of the Yankees organization, including Senior Vice President of Corporate/Community Relations Brian Smith and Ambassador of Community Relations Haley Steinbrenner Swindal, the granddaughter of the late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
Along with the coat distribution, students were given candy and were able to decorate the paper bags their coats were going in using various drawing tools and stickers. They were even accompanied by a DJ and “Siren,” the official life-safety mascot of the Fire Department of New York.
PS 294 and PS 311 are part of New York City Public School’s District 9, which serves 48 schools and 16,000 students in the South Bronx. A majority of the district falls in the Title I funding category, where students struggle beyond the classroom, suffering from housing and food insecurities and a lack of other dependent resources. It’s charitable work like today that keeps these students up on their feet, where they have people behind them who want them to succeed.
“The Yankees are a worldwide organization, but they’re also a local organization. Yankees Stadium is in District 9, and the Yankee team is side by side with us in the work we do to serve schools.” Community School District 9 Superintendent Harry Sherman said. “It means the world to our children when they see that logo, when they see those folks come out. It’s not just the players, it’s the whole organization, it’s the stadium, it’s the community, and corporate team, it’s Brian Smith and his people knowing the community that they’re a part of, knowing those needs and always being ready to partner in whatever we need to do to serve our kids and our families. I think every time our kids see that partnership, they know that those aren’t just their heroes on the field. Those are their partners off the field to make sure that they have what they need.”
The students that received jackets were grades K-5, ranging from five to 11 years old. While these children are still very young and are just happy to be getting a jacket, some had a broader perspective and were influenced.
“It means a lot. I feel really happy because I know that my school is a great school and that they do a lot of stuff for us and I’m really thankful for that,” Alaisha, a 10-year-old student from PS 311 Lucero Elementary School said.
Donations like this from the community inspires her to want to help others.
“It does actually because I’m a girl that grew up in a low-income family where I didn’t have a good childhood and right now I’m not living the life like that. I want to help others when I grow up to have a good life and succeed.”
The coat drive is only one of a smorgasbord of charitable events that the Yankees host throughout the year. With the Bronx being their home, they are committed to being there for those in need and giving back.
“That commitment is 24/7 day-in and day-out to be a committed and productive member of our community and that’s what we’re doing and will do as an organization,” Yankees Senior Vice President of Corporate/Community Relations Brian Smith said. “We are honored to be a member of the Bronx community and were are committed to continue to work with our neighbors and community partners to generate access.”
For information on volunteering and how you could give back, visit newyorkcares.org
