Nonprofit Donates More Than 500 Coats To Tri-Cities Residents

ST. CHARLES, IL — The St. Charles Breakfast Rotary raised more than $18,000 and was able to provide more than 500 new coats to children in the Tri-Cities this past holiday season.

The local nonprofit handed out coats to recipients in St. Charles School District 303, Geneva School District 304, Lazarus House, Tri-Cities Salvation Army, Kane County Judiciary and a local seven-member refugee family.

“This year, as more organizations have learned of our project, we received additional requests in addition to those we have provided for in the past,” said Jenna Mortensen, St. Charles Breakfast Rotary President.

Organizations that benefitted from the project were extremely grateful, according to a news release.

“We, here at Lazarus House, were witness to how these coats can truly make a difference in a personal way. This year the guests of Lazarus House were blessed with coats from somewhere else, but we were gifted one box of larger coats from the St. Charles Breakfast Rotary, 'just in case' we might need them," said Wendy Gruber, Associate Director Lazarus House. "That 'just in case; arrived at our door the following morning, on a snowy cold day, wearing just a sweatshirt. This individual was not eligible to stay at Lazarus House, but we were able to share with him a hot cup of coffee, hat, hand warmers, gloves, and a perfect fit of a coat from this 'just in case' box. He was very grateful and said, 'God bless you' as he walked away."