WASHINGTON 鈥� Nearly 500 brand-new jackets are being given away to needy families in Alexandria as part of Operation Warm and Firefighter Coats for Kids, an endeavor started more than a decade ago that has expanded to hundreds of other fire departments around the country.
The program was started by city councilman Willie Bailey and community outreach coordinator Michael Johnson, who grew up together in Alexandria. Bailey is now a battalion chief with the Fairfax County Fire Department.
鈥淲e did backpacks, school supplies in August,鈥� says Bailey. 鈥淲e tell the kids if you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you鈥檙e going to go to school and you鈥檙e going to do good.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 brand-new. There鈥檚 a lot of times you hear about organizations giving out used coats. There鈥檚 nothing wrong with giving out a used coat. But we stopped giving out used coats many, many years ago. We want the kids to build some self-esteem. They get to take the tag off the coat, because a lot of times these kids thought they had to give the coat back because they鈥檇 never received a new coat before.鈥�
In recent days, thousands of other jackets have been given out to students at area schools. Johnson says having police officers and firefighters involved also sends another message.
鈥淚t breaks the stereotype of so many kids who see law enforcement guys as being the enemy,鈥� says Johnson. 鈥淲e can bridge that gap. We can make friendships. They can see police officers and firefighters in their uniform, but they鈥檙e also giving something to them.鈥�
It鈥檚 also one less thing for parents to worry about as winter starts to loom.
鈥淚t frees up money in the family household,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淪o they don鈥檛 have to go out and spend $200 or $300 on four or five coats for the kids. We鈥檒l give them that for free. They can take that money and apply it to the food they might need or some other household needs, gas in the cars and so forth.鈥�
The kids who show up can get more than jackets, too. There鈥檚 face painting, balloon animals, a book giveaway, and even a Mickey Mouse dancing around the community center with the kids.
鈥淭hey鈥檒l trickle in all day long,鈥� says Johnson, 鈥渁nd that鈥檚 a good thing.鈥�
