Thursday, December 6, 2007

Boston students receive coats from charitable foundation

Boston Business Journal

More than 700 elementary school students in Boston Public Schools will receive new winter coats Thursday.

Leaders from BELL -- Building Educated Leaders for Life, a Dorchester, Mass.-based nonprofit -- will give out the coats at the Mattahunt School in Mattapan to students in the BELL After School programs from six schools in Dorchester, Mattapan and Roxbury.

Operation Warm, a national nonprofit based in Pennsylvania, has enlisted Bank of America Charitable Foundation to underwrite the coat-giving event.  The amount given to the program was undisclosed. 

According to Operation Warm, providing children with essentials such as a winter coat helps build self-confidence and improves self-esteem.  When children feel good about themselves and fit in, they can arrive at school warm, on-time and ready to learn, said the organization in a statement.