Collecting coats for New York Cares at Veterans Day Parade - New York News | NYC Breaking News

Collecting coats for New York Cares at Veterans Day Parade

New York City's Veterans Day Parade, November 11, will be a rally for the victims of Hurricane Sandy as participants in the parade collect coats for the annual New York Cares Coat Drive from spectators along the line of march, the United War Veterans Council (UWVC) and New York Cares announced.

The UWVC and New York Cares urged New Yorkers and visitors to the city to attend the parade Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Fifth Avenue from 26th to 56th Streets, to honor veterans who serve our country, including members of the National Guard, who have been critical in Hurricane Sandy relief and recovery efforts.

They also urged parade viewers to bring coats for the New York Cares Coat Drive, which will be collected by marchers along the parade route and deposited in trucks in the parade.

New York Cares' annual Coat Drive will launch today, earlier than ever, in order to expedite aiding those affected by Hurricane Sandy and all New Yorkers in need. New York Cares hopes to collect a record 200,000 coats this season to meet the unprecedented need for coats. Given the urgent need, New York Cares hopes to collect 50,000 coats by next week.

Through Monday, December 31st, New Yorkers can donate new or gently used coats at hundreds of locations throughout the five boroughs including all NYPD Police Precincts and library branches in the New York Public Library, Queens Library, and Brooklyn Public Library systems.

Starting November 15, drop-off locations will open at New York Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal (December only) and many other sites. The New York Cares Coat Drive is an annual citywide tradition that has collected more than 1.5 million winter coats for men, women and children in need throughout the city since 1989.

Anyone interested in volunteering to aid in Hurricane Sandy disaster relief can register at http://newyorkcares.org/volunteer/disaster/ and sign up for hurricane response projects in need of assistance. New projects are being posted regularly and will only grow in number over the next several months.

To donate, visit www.newyorkcares.org/donate_now/