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Elementary students receive free winter coats

As the warm weather of summer winds down and cooler temperatures take over, one school district in Lackawanna County wants to make sure every student is prepared.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — From green and fuzzy to pink and fluffy.

"It has a hood, and it has pockets," said Abbi, Riverside Elementary.

Hundreds of students at Riverside Elementary West in Taylor got to pick out a brand new winter coat.

"You'll be nice and cozy in the cold, and you will stay warm," said Colin, Riverside Elementary.

First grader Colin was one of the 350 students getting a new coat through the districts partnership with Operation Warm.

The nonprofit makes brand-new, high-quality coats and shoes for children in need all across the country.

"Sometimes they can't afford it, sometimes for whatever the circumstances are, are not able to have access to the resources. And so that's why we're here to give them access," said Karen Dixon, Operation Warm.

"We've done um, opportunities where we've given small groups of Children coats but never a whole school event such as this," said Nicole Vanluvender, Riverside Elementary West Principal.

Principal Nicole VanLuvender says the coat giveaway ensures students are prepared for the colder months ahead while taking some of the financial burden off of parents, "I've got families here who have two and three and four children. So every little bit helps when you can provide something to a family where that's a burden, you know, to have to buy multiple coats for children, and they grow so fast."

But for the students who spent the day looking through the cozy colors, their number one priority was finding their favorite coat.

"I love it cause I love being warm and because I like the color," said Isabella, Riverside Elementary.

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