The Salvation Army gives away more than 1,500 coats

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The sunrise was a relief to some people in line at The Salvation Army Saturday morning.

"I'm thankful for the Lord for getting me up this day to come out here and try to get a coat," Lafayette Resident Tony Jordan said as he waited in line at The Salvation Army's annual Coats For Kids event.

Those first in a line wrapping around the corner and down the street got there at 8 Friday night. They wanted to make sure they were first to receive coats and winter gear donated by community members.

"Right now I don't have money to get [coats]," Jordan said. "I'm hoping I'm able to get one while I'm here."

Jordan looked for coats for himself. Others were shopping to dress a whole family.

"We pretty much lost everything when we had to move," Lafayette Resident Charles Shroyer said. "We needed winter coats, gloves, hats and scarves."

Salvation Army Major Jim Irvine made sure those in line got what they needed.

"Last year we received about 1,400 coats," Major Irvine said. "As of [Friday] we knew we had 1,468 coats on racks. We still have others that we couldn't get on racks yet."

Major Irvine said the unique thing about Coats For Kids is that he doesn't see the same faces every year.

"The need is greater this year than any other time," Major Irvine said. "The economy is still soft and people are having trouble making ends meet. The thing that surprises me the most is still the number of families that come to The Salvation Army for the first time ever."

Jordan was one of many visiting for the first time.

"This is my first time," Jordan said. "I heard about it so I decided to come up here."

With hours in line behind them it took shoppers about 20 minutes to get in and get out. They left with winter gear, but Major Irvine said Coats for Kids gives more than just material relief.

"We're not warming bodies," Major Irvine said. "We're warming souls."

The event was made possible in part by sponsors including Fairfield Manufacturing, Wabash National, Pay Less, Regions Bank and WLFI News 18.