Thanks to caring community members, Nurturing Families has provided thousands of warm coats and winter accessories to adults and children since 2010. Donations are most needed by the first week of December so we can distribute prior to Winter Break, and we accept through March.

Nurturing Families receives requests from helping professionals who help us identify children and adults across Fairfax County who are in need of a winter coat. We receive lots of requests from FCPS staff and some from local organizations.

To participate, you can donate coats and/or winter accessories or host a coat drive.

Coordinate a Coat Drive

Step 1: Select a deadline for donations.

Step 2: Tell friends and family about the deadline and donation details (see information on the right).

Step 3: Organize coats.

• We ask that you look at each coat, make sure it’s clean and in good condition, and test the zipper.

• If possible, we ask that you count, sort and bag the coats using these categories:

  • Girls (sizes newborn to 14 kid)

  • Boys (sizes newborn to 18 kid)

  • Womens (sizes xsmall-xxlarge)

  • Mens (sizes xsmall to xxlarge).

  • It is helpful if you can provide a list of coats you have collected organized by gender and size.

Step 4: Schedule a drop-off.

We frequently partner with One Warm Coat and recommend that anyone planning a community coat drive consult their website for useful tips.

Donation Details

• Sizes

  • We can use all sizes.

  • The greatest need is for kids coats, sizes 6-14.

• Types

  • We focus primarily on activewear coats. These are warm coats made of water-resistant material. A hood is ideal but not essential. If someone is only going to have one coat, we want that coat to keep her/him warm and dry regardless of the weather.

  • We also accept hoodies as they are often preferred by teens.

  • We love to offer coordinating accessories with each coat.

• Condition

  • We ask that coats be clean and in gently used to new condition. We will give the coat to a helper who will deliver the coat directly to a child or adult who needs it.

  • We are not able to use coats with holes, stains, broken zippers, or excessive pilling (small, fuzzy balls on the surface of fabric).

New Hope Church members support One Warm Coat by holding a coat drive each winter and support the Last Chance Holiday Boutique with a giving tree.

One Warm Coat provides resources for people interested in organizing coat drives and shares information about organizations seeking coats.

Fairfax Community Church