Rutgers Football Kicks Off Sixth Annual Chop4Change Coat Drive for NJ Students
This year’s program will deliver 540 new winter coats to elementary and middle school kids across New Jersey before the holidays arrive.
Rutgers football has launched its sixth annual coat drive through Chop4Change with RWJBarnabas Health. This year's program will deliver 540 new winter coats to elementary and middle school kids across New Jersey before the holidays arrive.
Macy's is backing the project again, marking six consecutive years. They're providing discounted coats plus gift cards. Ed Nugent from Red Door Real Estate is purchasing 150 coats.
Players will visit multiple RWJBarnabas Health hospitals this month. They'll help distribute coats to kids who need them.
Coats are headed to non-profit groups connected with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Jersey City Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. RWJBarnabas Health's Community Health team is managing where the coats go and when they arrive.
Over 2,000 new winter coats have been given away during the past five years through this program. Chop4Change has done more than just coats, though. Gift cards for Thanksgiving and Easter dinners went out to families. Headsets were delivered so children could learn during the pandemic. School supplies were brought to elementary schools that players once attended.
Veteran groups have received help too. Youth football coaches got CPR and AED training. Since 2020, these programs have pulled in more than $550,000.
The coat drive continues what the Scarlet Knights have been doing throughout New Jersey. Staff members are teaming up with players to get coats to families before cold weather hits hard.
