WIBH Radio New Coats, New Hope Campaign provides nearly 300 coats

Each year, as the cold of winter continues, more and more families are turning to local agencies for warm coats for their kids.  

In response to this need, WIBH Radio in Anna held its annual New Coats, New Hope Campaign. The campaign raised more than $5,000 to buy 294 new coats.

Since 2011, WIBH Radio in Anna has partnered with local agencies and businesses to hold the campaign.

The campaign is a fund-raising effort presented by WIBH and Operation Warm, a 501 c3 charitable organization that provides new, winter coats to children in need throughout the United States. 

New Coats, New Hope’s purpose is to provide new coats to children ages 3 to 16 living in the lower 45 counties of Illinois. 

The coats purchased through this year’s campaign are to be distributed to kids affected by abuse, neglect, disaster and family need through the Children’s Medical & Mental Health Resource Network, CMMHRN, in Anna; Head Start locations in Anna, Goreville and Vienna; and the Family Counseling Center in Vienna. 

There is no paperwork to fill out or proof of income required to receive a coat. 

Donations came from all over the country, with the majority received from Southern Illinois.  

Donors could sponsor a coat for $20, or give any monetary amount they wished.  

The shipping of the coats was provided by Postal Pal in Anna. As a result, 100 percent of all donations were used to buy the coats; this also allowed for more coats to be ordered.   

Many local businesses participated in this year’s campaign by helping WIBH get the message to donors, including:

Jus10’s Frozen Yogurt & Dessert Shoppe, Anna Tire & Auto Center, Cobden Auto Repair, Southpass Beads & Fibers, Southern Illinois Healthcare.

RE/MAX Southern Real Estate, Bailey Monument Company, EZ Portable Buildings, Shelter Insurance, United Contractors of America LLC (UCOA).

Southern Bank, Auto Tire & Parts NAPA, Seafood Specialties, Sullivan Plumbing, Crabtree & Merriman Doctors of Optometry.

Norm’s Woodworking, L&P Carpet, Anna-Jonesboro National Bank, Trainor Ag Products LLC, Postal Pal and Shawnee Mass Transit District.

To learn how to request a coat for a child in need, contact Shawnna Rhine at WIBH Radio in Anna at 833-9424. To learn more about Operation Warm, visit operationwarm.org.