Families packed the parking lot of Cityview Community School in Minneapolis. Class wasn’t in session, but they learned about the gift of giving and receiving — firsthand.
Chris Edwards and his daughter, Miracle, a third grader at the school, were one of the many families that marked their calendars to attend the winter coat drive. The two carefully looked over the tables of winter gear before Miracle eventually found a purple jacket that fit her perfectly.
Families like the Edwards chose from 450 new coats provided by UnitedHealthcare, the Minnesota Vikings and the Dream Builders Foundation.
For Chris, events like this help his family and others prepare for cooler temperatures.
“It’s actually a lot of kids out here that need things like this,” Chris said. “Things like this really help out a lot. Any little bit counts.”
In addition to the coats, the Minnesota Vikings provided winter hats and the Sheridan Story — an organization that works to fight child hunger — handed out meals at the event.
“Our mission is to help people have healthier lives,” said Brett Edelson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Minnesota. “One of the most basic needs of an individual is to ensure that they have a warm coat for the winter and know where their next healthy meal is going to come from. This event is providing coats and meals to families that otherwise wouldn't have those resources.”