4600 N. Mason-Montgomery Rd.
Mason, OH 45040
Coats for Kids 2018 & 2019 programs
A mission of The Karen Carns Foundation is to provide new winter coats to children in need in the Greater Cincinnati area. Letters of nomination are accepted from area teachers/advocates for students who are in need of the gift of a new winter coat. The primary goal is to ensure that needy children can receive new winter coats. Also, the intent is to strengthen the bond between the student and the teacher/advocate by having the teacher submit a letter of nomination for each child, and by having the teacher/advocate pick out the coat for the child. A shopping day is scheduled in November at a local retailer. Teachers/advocates come and choose the coats for their nominated students, and The Karen Carns Foundation pays for them. The retailer typically provides a discount on the coat purchases; and opens the store two hours early for the teacher/shoppers so that they are the only customers and can get assistance from the store staff. New winter coats have been provided to area children in need each year since 1991, with over 18,000 coats given out to date. In 2019, the foundation spent over $40,000 to provide 1500 new coats to area schools, agencies and homeless shelters for distribution.
Note: Grants of $25,000 were made in September 2018 and July 2019 and were for two separate school years. Both grants fell in the Dater Foundation's 2018-19 fiscal year.