REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED AND WILL REOPEN WINTER 2023
We believe that every child deserves to be warm and dry, especially when the severe winter conditions hit, and that all children should be fully included at school, at home, and within their community. Winter wear is costly, forcing many local children from low income families to wear clothing not appropriate for the harsh Canadian winter. It is for these reasons that Operation Snowsuit was created.
The goal of Operation Snowsuit is to provide good and decent outdoor winter wear that will enable all children to participate in all outdoor activities, regardless of their family’s financial status. All too often children have to wear old, ill-fitting, or inadequate clothing as snowsuits etc. are out of reach for their families who are struggling to provide the basic necessities of life. If children do not wear appropriate winter clothing to school this often results in them being kept in during recess (for their health and safety), especially during our severe winter period. Children are also held back from other outside activities when they don’t have appropriate clothing.
CPAN believes that every child should have decent, clean and in good repair winter wear, we wouldn’t give clothing that we would not want our own children to wear, so we inspect all used clothing carefully. It’s important that all families see that as a community we care about their child’s wellbeing. Here are some examples of items that cannot be used due to poor quality.
We typically supply a snowsuit, boots, hat, and gloves (conservatively estimated to cost an average of $225 per child). We receive requests for all ages, this includes babies that are not yet born and due during the winter (so that parents can bring them home from hospital), up to and including youth who are 18 years, and in adult sized clothing. We have had requests for up to ladies 3X and men’s 4X snowsuits, and up to Ladies size 12 boots, and Men’s size 15! Adult sizes should be something a teen would wear.
We do this by collecting new and gently used items throughout Renfrew County in almost all schools, in every school board. Once donations are collected within the schools, Bell Canada employees pick the items up and deliver them to CPAN. Giant Tiger, donates 5,000 square feet of warehouse space year-round to hold our inventory, we lovingly call this “Operation Snowsuit Headquarters!” Teams of dedicated volunteers then spend many hours sorting, hanging, and picking requests. Requests are then brought back to CPAN, sorted, and delivered to the partner agency that is nearest to the client (transported by volunteers), the partner agency then distributes requests on behalf of CPAN.
We often struggle to find adult sizes that are appropriate for local youth, these have included many large sizes (up to and including men’s 4X, and ladies 3X, as well as size Men’s size 15 boots and Ladies size 12). We often send emails and Facebook requests for certain items and sizes. If you can help please sign up to our online community, and/or like our Facebook page
Operation Snowsuit is a true labour of love and is totally community driven. We work
- In the Community
- With the Community
- For The Community
Thanks to all who help.. without such a generous and kind community we would not be able to run such an awesome program!
If you would like to donate please click here
We take items year round (Please make sure all items are clean and in good repair)
We accept monetary donations (to buy items that we need and do not have)
Time (as a volunteer)
Please feel free to contact us
Applications for Operation Snowsuit are online only, this application will open up prior to winter (depending on weather)