Project Keep Kids Warm returns for 10th year

ISHPEMING — One local program that helps children stay warm in the winter time has returned for their 10th year. Project Keep Kids Warm is a program that takes lightly used and new winter clothes for children and gives them to families that might not otherwise be able to afford them.

The program is sponsored by the Wesley United Methodist Church in Ishpeming, as well as the Immanual Lutheran Church in Negaunee. Project Keep Kids Warm volunteers would go door–to–door and collect items in the past, but a new system for collecting the winter clothes is in place for this year.

“This year we decided to try something a little bit differently, so we’re having these collection boxes with the very nice labels on them,” said Richard Derby, the coordinator of Project Keep Kids Warm. “They’re in all of the area elementary, middle, and high schools. Many of the area churches, grocery stores, banks, businesses like Auto Value out here on the West End. They are all over the place in both Ishpeming and Negaunee.”

The program is for children, with ages ranging from infants up to 18 years old. Any winter clothing is accepted, such as hats, mittens, boots, jackets and snow pants.

“We always emphasize snowpants and jackets because kids grow out of those so fast,” said Derby. “Any family that has little boys knows that snow pants don’t usually last more than one winter, so that’s a big item that everyone is usually looking for.”

The bins for collecting donated clothes will be around Ishpeming and Negaunee until October 9th, before the free clothing distribution and shopping day at the Ishpeming Armory on October 12th. Below is a complete list of all of the collection locations: