THE
DRIVE BEGINS — Jim Esposito receives coats in October at the EAP office in the
Binghamton State Office Building for the annual Keeping Kids Warm program.— Photo by Dorothy Marshall
Jim Esposito, a civil engineer at the state Department of Transportation in Binghamton, is an example of how PEF members take time out of their lives to help others.
For the past decade, Esposito has prepared for the winter months by gathering coats for kids. The program is called “Keeping Kids Warm” and it is managed by the United Way.
“The need is there,” Esposito said. “Sometimes people are just down on their luck. Teachers have told me kids come to school in cold weather without coats. I’m sure teachers see that all the time.”
The reasons vary why a child may not have a coat. Esposito said sometimes a person is not receiving services from other organizations, or there just isn’t the money to buy clothing.
“We thought this is something we could do at the state office buildings through the Employees Assistance Program. What I’ve done is organize the agencies in the state office building and places in the community to gather coats,” Esposito said.
The coat drive is a community effort. Ad agencies get involved some years to promote it, as well as radio stations and other businesses.
“Local cleaners volunteer to clean the coats. Then they are taken to the United Way which distributes the coats.
“Being able to help kids out in the community is why we do this,” Esposito said.
On average, Espositio collects nearly 200 coats each season. — Deborah A. Miles
