UTA teams up with Operation Warm, local school
Seven faculty and staff members volunteered their morning on Friday, Feb. 27, 2023, to help pass out hundreds of coats gifted by Operation Warm, a national organization that provides coat donations to children in high-need areas. Dr. Bree Jimenez, an associate professor of special education at UTA, says the nonprofit was started by one individual who simply saw a need in his community.
"It was a very cold morning, and there were a bunch of kids at a bus stop with no coats," said Jimenez, one of the event organizer who helped lead the UTA volunteers. "He realized that there were kids right around the corner from him who were that in need, so he created this whole nonprofit."
In all, approximately 480 coats were given to kids in grades PreKindergarten through 5th Grade at Central Elementary School in Carrollton, Texas.
School counselor Ashraf Sheikh, who helped coordinate, said the experience was "memorable."
"We, at Central Elementary feel truly blessed to have been chosen by Operation Warm to provide brand new jackets for all of our students," said Sheikh after the event. "Seeing our students walk in with their new jackets today made it extra special, especially being one of the coldest days of the season."
Steve Nguyen, a Community Impact volunteer who periodically helps Operation Warm, says the outfit is a small organization that depends on volunteers to staff its giving initiatives.
"If it weren't for the volunteers, none of this would have been possible," said Nguyen. "It's such a humbling experience to see that there are organizations like Operation Warm and partners like the University of Texas at Arlington who are willing to step up and help. On a day like today, it's cold outside. I can't picture being out in the cold and not having a coat. So for us to be able to deliver these coats and see see the kids' faces light up makes our day."