Pride Markets Thanks Customers for Donations to Coats for Kids

SPRINGFIELD — With one week left in the annual Salvation Army Coats for Kids campaign, Pride Markets has seen a remarkable outpouring of support from the community in its recent participation, which includes stores in Longmeadow, Agawam, Ludlow, Springfield, and other Western Mass locations. Last year, more than 300 coats were collected. This year’s donations look to be even greater.

Pride Markets is a long-time sponsor of the Salvation Army Coats for Kids campaign, which was established in 1980. Over the last 30 years, tens of thousands of winter coats have been collected and given to Western Mass. children in need. Each year, dozens of local businesses and organizations take part in the initiative to keep kids warm by collecting gently used or new winter coats.

The initiative asks members of the community to donate new or gently used winter coats that have been outgrown or simply not worn. Belmont Laundry, with several other locations throughout greater Springfield, has pledged to clean every donated coat before it is distributed to a child in need.