Glen Cove Jaguar Dealers Raise Funds For Coats for Needy Children

GLEN COVE, NY — The Mildred W. Fairclough Foundation on Monday received $6,000 from the Long Island Auto Group, which includes Jaguar Land Rover of Glen Cove, to donate to Operation Warm, leaving the non-profit organization with enough money to buy 300 new coats for needy children, according to a news release.

The donation is part of a larger effort by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, which the auto group is a member of, to buy coats by raising money for each car sold, as well as collecting funds to provide winter coats for children on Long Island, in New York City, and the Lower Hudson Valley.

The association, which collected coats at dealerships in past years, reorganized its drive this winter and turned to Operation Warm due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Michael Levitan, president of the Long Island Auto Group, said that when the event was announced this year he feared his business would not be able to collect coats “like we have done in the past.”

“I couldn’t let the opportunity slip by and was more than happy that we were able to do our part and contribute to help so many people during these very tough times,” he stated in the release.

Heather Connolly, VP of Partnerships & Development for Operation Warm, said the non-profit’s partnership with the Long Island Auto Group and the automobile dealers’ association is a “showcase of their commitment to giving back to the communities they serve.”

“This collaboration has helped hundreds of children in New York communities stay warm this winter,” she stated.

The automobile association, which has collected over 60,000 coats in the past, has raised over $45,000 — enough to donate 2,300 new coats — so far this winter. Operation Warm’s goal this winter is to collect 50,000 coats.

Mark Schienberg, president of the automobile dealers’ association, said it is the “enormous generosity” of local auto dealers and their employees that makes the cold months a little easier for people in need of assistance.

“This has been a difficult year for all businesses, but auto dealers have once again stepped up to lead the way in helping those who have been impacted by COVID-19 and the economic blow it has dealt to so many families,” he stated.