OKLAHOMA CITY (June 13, 2016) – It’s not yet summer, and Oklahoma City Public Schools and The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools are already looking ahead to winter. When temperatures drop, more than 7,000 Oklahoma City Public Schools students will not have a coat to keep them warm. However, The Foundation has a solution: Coat-A-Kid.

Foundation President and CEO Mary Mélon and OKCPS Acting Superintendent Aurora Lora have announced they are working together to raise $120,000 to purchase new coats for students in need through the Coat-A-Kid project. OKCPS is the state’s largest school district, with 46,000 students, and 90 percent are living at or below the poverty line.

“The Foundation is asking the community to step up and make sure no child in the district goes without a winter coat,” said Mélon. “We are also encouraging anyone interested to post about Coat-A-Kid on their websites and social media and promote employee fundraising drives with #CoatAKid. Students learn best when they are safe, healthy and happy, and providing a warm winter coat can be life changing.”

To meet the goal of providing a coat for every child in need, The Foundation must raise more than $120,000 by October 1st. The cost to coat one kid is just $20. It costs $500 to coat a class, $2,000 to coat a grade, $5,000 to coat a school and $10,000 to coat a community. Donations are fully tax deductible and 100 percent of each donation goes to providing coats. Volunteers will also be needed in October to distribute the coats.

Concerned citizens can donate online or by check made out to The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools with Coat-A-Kid in the memo line. For more information, contact OKCPS Community Relations Specialist Amanda Piña at 405-587-0234 or apina@okcps.org or Manager of Schools and Community Relations Erin Bellamy at 405-604-5977 or erin@okckids.com.