You’ve probably noticed the “Coat & Boot Drive” boxes in every corner of the community. But have you ever stopped to wonder what this drive is and who is in charge?
“The Mothers Trust Foundation Teens” organization has organized a coat drive for this fall and winter season. Four juniors at LFHS—Campbell Gore, Sophia Shader, Ethan Farrell, and Fin Michael—are leading the cause.
These leaders were passed down the responsibility of running the drive last year, and they will continue to uphold this opportunity for the rest of their time at the high school.
Their goal is to aid Lake County families and children in need of warm necessities. They have accomplished this by providing individuals with new and gently used winter coats, scarves, hats, mittens, snow pants, boots, and blankets.
Helping out with the coat drive is vital to these teens, and the ability to give to the less fortunate powers their motivations. Shader jumped at the chance to be involved in the coat drive because the idea of supporting people in need enthralled her.
“I decided to get involved in the Mothers Trust Foundation because I really enjoy helping people. The foundation is an active community of people that are all so supportive and caring of others, and I wanted to be a part of it,” Shader said.
The coat drive is necessary for those who lack the funds to keep themselves warm. It ensures everyone has access to coats, which helps poverty-stricken individuals avoid feeling like the odd one within their community.
“Donating to the coat drive helps provide coats for people who don’t have them and/or can’t afford them. Without this coat drive, many people would not have coats at all,” Michael said.
The coat drive also does well connecting people from all over the county, which is why Farrell considers it such a significant organization.
“It’s awesome seeing multiple communities come together to help each other. Lake Forest is full of very generous people who are always willing to help out,” Farrell said. “It isn’t only the people donating but also the dozens of high schoolers collecting supplies who make an impact.”
Helping out with the coat drive also impacts the volunteers themselves. For Gore, assisting has brought a sense of joy in providing these items and allowed her to learn more about herself as an individual.
“Distribution day is so rewarding when I get to see the brightened faces of those walking out with a new winter coat,” Gore said. “Some of these families don’t speak English, only Spanish. It forced me to go out of my comfort zone and speak to them in a language I have limited experience with.”
Distribution day is when the coats donated by the people of Lake County are eventually gifted to those in need. It is a joyous day for all involved due to the one-on-one connections and individualized experiences given.
For many coat drives, people are unable to select the exact item they want. However, through the Mothers Trust Foundation, they can find what works best and matches their individual needs.
“My favorite part of the coat drive is seeing the kids grab the coats they want and seeing the smile this puts on their faces,” Michael said.
Rather than staying within Lake County, many of these volunteers want to expand their horizons regarding where the coat boxes could be located to make the collection more accessible. Farrell doesn’t just want to focus on increasing the drive but also aims to find other ways to support people in need.
“I would love to expand this amazing project to other towns and get more people involved. Another goal I have is to help people with other needs in their lives apart from staying warm in the winter,” Farrell said.
Despite their high workloads, the four students involved have been able to focus their attention on making sure this coat drive is successful. If they can collect an adequate amount of items, the necessities provided are essential for those in Illinois due to the low temperatures during the winter.
“The generous donations from those in our community help the less fortunate in the surrounding areas stay warm for the cold winter’s coming by providing new winter apparel,” Gore said.
The coat drive is open for many to get involved and has become not just about the volunteer hours for Shader, Gore, Farrell, and Michael. Many want to become a part of this organization and find a way to help those in need, which Shader aims to make possible for all.
“People can get involved in the coat drive by contacting Campbell Gore or myself. There are plenty of locations that need boxes to donate,” Shader said. “If you aren’t a part of the collection process, then you could definitely be a part of sorting the coats and/or the distribution day of the coats.”
