Cochrane residents are encouraged to donate new or lightly used winter clothing in advance of this year's Jacket Racket event, happening Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Cochrane Alliance Church.
Jackets and other winter clothing can be brought to the Family Resource Network, Family Resource Network coordinator Amy Farley said.
They are also accepting new or gently used Halloween costumes for the event. Farley added that she hopes to see more winter clothing donations this year than last as there has been an increase in need for all their services across the board.
"We have seen a rise in demand the past year and I think that's just due to the effects of COVID with families losing their jobs or parents having to stay home because their kids are learning at home," she said. "We've definitely seen an increase at the Family Resource Network of families coming in for food hampers and basic necessities. There also seems to be a lot of families struggling in general with their mental health. So we are seeing more people coming in to access all our services."
It is thanks to community member and partners that the Jacket Racket event can go ahead every year, Farley said. They have welcomed back the same partnering organizations each year to help ensure they get all the warm winter clothing they need for families.
"Every year, DryCleaning by Dave supplies us with hangers so we can hang the coats up and make it fun for families to come in and shop, with different areas for men, women and children."
Owner of Smart Mortgage Solutions Lorrie Rasmussen ensures the bins at all the drop-off locations around town are picked up once full.
"We have had a lot of donations so far, thankfully," Farley said. "I think sometimes when the weather turns colder though, we get a few more donations — people start to realize that there might be kids out there going to school without a jacket."
While the event garners hundreds of donations each year in all sizes, they tend to receive more winter clothing for men and women than they do for infants and kids, Farley said, which is often where the greatest demand lies.
The Old Farmer's Almanac, which touts an 80 per cent accuracy rating, predicts that during the upcoming winter season Canada's prairies will see major snowstorms in late November, mid-January and early March alongside freezing rain and higher than average temperatures.
Given the kind of winters that Cochrane and area is used to, jackets tend to disappear pretty quickly at the event, Farley said. Any unclaimed items are given to BGC or to the Stoney Nakoda Nation.
Those that go to the Jacket Racket will be given a maximum of twenty minutes of shopping time inside the Alliance Church while the space is limiting attendance capacities. Shoppers will also need to complete a COVID health screening form before entering.
The Cochrane and Area Family Resource Network promotes itself as a "one-stop shop for families," Farley said.
For 15 years, the Cochrane and Area Family Resource Network's annual Jacket Racket has been keeping vulnerable members of the community warm during the harsh winter months. In addition to events like the Jacket Racket, they also offer various parenting and child development courses.
The organization uses its community connections to seek local mental health supports for clients, an occurrence that is becoming increasingly common according to Farley.
"There is an increase in mental health issues with kids, teens and adults, so we're really connecting with our community partners as much as we can," she said. "If people want to help, one great way is to volunteer with some of these agencies such as Right Hand Support and Helping Hands. They train volunteers and match them up with support so we can refer them."
The Family Resource Network also accepts food donations year-round for families in need.
For more information visit www.facebook.com/CochraneFRN.
