TOLEDO, Ohio — Susie's Coats for Kids and Hanna's Socks 18th annual giveaway will happen earlier than previous years.
The event typically happens in November but was moved to Saturday, Sept. 21, from 9 a.m. to noon this year, with even more giveaways and warmer weather.
Susan Perry, Susie's Coats executive director, said this year's event will be the largest one yet.
"The Toledo Zoo, the Metroparks, the library system," Perry said. "Children can register for Lets Build Beds for a new bed. The Toledo Fire Department will be here handing out smoke detectors. Designetics Care For Kids is now providing 300 admission tickets for a Toledo Mud Hens event that evening, to include a voucher for food."
Additionally, Muddy the Mud Hen will be there to take pictures and Connecting Kids to Meals will be handing out snacks to those in attendance.
Since the gymnasium at Jones Leadership Academy of Business will have hundreds of parents and kids, administrators are excited.
This will be also Jones' Vice Principal Crystal Strong's eighth year working the event, too.
"It's just an amazing feeling, I try to participate every time I can. I brought my girls in the last couple times and they've also been volunteers." Strong said. "I can't describe the feeling of giving new coats and new items to young kids."
This will be Principal Steven Thomas' first year, though, but he said he's ready.
"Anything that we can do to help support and facilitate the organized chaos that Ms. Susie has spoken about," Thomas said.
As the organized chaos leader, Perry said it's important they get the word out about the date change as it affects a lot of children within the greater Toledo area.
"The need is so great in our community and we average between 800-825 children that we provide for on this one day," Perry said.
Connecting Kids to Meals President and CEO, Wendy Huntley, said she believes community events like this should always have several nonprofits coming together.
"When we think about the important work that Susie's Coats is doing in our community, we would be remiss not to say, 'Hey, we can throw in our support and our weight to make sure this event is a success for kids,'" Huntley said.
Petra Rapton, a Susie's Coats community liaison, said the event is a testament to the value of providing for the community.
"It makes me so happy and so proud of what she has accomplished in just 18 years. I love seeing the smiles on the children when they come through," Rapton said.