Quaker donates winter coats to kids in need at Dawson Boys & Girls Club of Verdun

Oh, the weather outside is frightful  

But the fire is so delightful  

And since we’ve no place to go  

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…   Dean Martin – Let it Snow!

Quaker donates winter coats – It’s that time of year when shoppers are cheered (or annoyed) by songs of Christmas past and present that can be heard playing at just about every shopping mall in the country. One holiday classic with a little kick Let it Snow! popularized by Dean Martin in the 1960s and later reprised by Michael Buble conjures up magical scenes of snuggling by the fire inside while winter rages outside. These days fireplaces aren’t considered eco-friendly, at least not gas fireplaces, and winter can still be pretty frightful despite warming trends. No matter. For winter fashionistas who bundle up in parkas and everyone else in dependable winter-wear, they can grin and bear it. 

Not so, for families in need. Kids are often cold during the winter season simply because they don’t have winter coats and warm clothes. To make matters worse, this year Old Man Winter showed up early. However, Quaker Canada was ready to lend a hand across the land with its #joyofwarmth campaign. “For Canadian families-in-need, warm winter clothing often comes second to providing the basics,” a spokesperson for Citoyen Optimum said. According to a recent study by Quaker Canada, more than one in five Canadian parents (21%) have struggled financially themselves to ensure their child is appropriately dressed for winter. “When children don’t have warm winter coats they can’t enjoy outdoor winter activities,” she said. “There is likely a negative impact to their physical and mental health and social interactions.”

Quaker® Oats is practically synonymous with hot oatmeal cereal on a cold wintry day. Generations of children have spooned the thick warm porridge on a frigid morning before dashing off to school. No surprise then that a company that built its reputation on a hot breakfast would be helping kids to stay warm all day long. Quaker Canada is working with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada to provide winter coats to children from families-in-need so that they can feel the “joy of warmth.”

For children in Verdun, a borough in the southwest sector of Montreal Quaker’s donation of warm weather clothing came just in the nick of time. At a recent afternoon-get-together at the Dawson Boys & Girls Club of Verdun staff and volunteers helped kids unbox and sort warm winter coats followed by playtime much to their delight. Canada may not be the coldest country on the planet but it is known for its brisk temperatures and long drawn-out winters. A hot breakfast and warm clothing go a long way towards surviving Canadian winters. Thanks to Quaker and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada things just got a little easier for kids who feel the chill when the weather is frightful.  

By: Deborah Rankin – info@mtltimes.ca