POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess Outreach and the Poughkeepsie City School District teamed up to provide winter hats and coats to families in need. School district Director of Family and Community Engagement Natasha Cherry said the event was a tremendous success.
According to Cherry, the “Coats and Cocoa” event on Saturday resulted in 40 families receiving winter outerwear that will be put to use immediately as the colder temperatures arrive in the region.
School district Community Bilingual Liaison Lorraine Boughton spearheaded the event. “Dutchess Outreach contacted us with an offer to provide winter coats and I put together the event with the help of Natasha Cherry and principals in each of the district’s schools.”
Boughton asked each of the principals to provide names of students and their families that needed winterwear. Once the lists were established, the families were contacted and appointments were set up for the families to come to the Poughkeepsie Middle School on Saturday to pick up the coats.
Cherry noted that district employees including Executive Director of School Engagement Da’Ron Wilson also donated supplies for the event. The collaboration between Dutchess Outreach and the district resulted in each member of a student’s family getting a winter coat. Gloves and scarves were also available.
“We realize that more families need coats and we are preparing to team up with Dutchess Outreach to hold another event,” Boughton said.
