Hometown Hero: Canady’s Coats For Kids - WTOC

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - When the cold weather arrives, a lot of children in our area will not be prepared for it because they don't have coats.

The WTOC Hometown Heroes behind Canady's Coats For Kids are trying to change that by launching their third annual coat drive.

A career in keeping people warm trained Fred Canady's eye for another opportunity to do just that.

"Several years ago, I was driving along and I saw these children at a bus stop and it was 40 degrees outside and a couple of the kids didn't have a coat and one of them was wrapped up in a blanket," said Fred Canady.

The founder of Canady's Heating and plumbing started Canady's Coats for Kids that day and today, the annual coat drive began its third year of collecting coats for local children in partnership with the United way of the Coastal Empire.

"When it's 40 degree outside in Savannah, it's cold, not like other areas of the country. So, we do need coats. Maybe it's two weeks, maybe it's a month, but the kids need coats.

Now through January 2nd, you can drop off new coats at Canady locations, United Way offices, or the WTOC lobby, and they will be distributed early in the new year.

"It is so exciting to be able to have this opportunity to fulfill these needs, these callers who are saying we have one child, we have two children, we have four children that we need help with. Can we get some coats from you? And the answer can be yes. We can do that with this community's support, thanks to Canady's," said Laurie Humphries.

The goal is to make this year's drive the biggest yet - with more than 1,000 coats collected - because the WTOC Hometown Heroes behind it see that the need is as great as ever.

"It's been a tough year for a lot of families. A lot of families have to choose between gas for their car and maybe skipping a meal. And some of these kids are going without coats. And we really want to put a coat on every child who needs a coat."

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