Organizers and volunteers at Brantford’s Seniors Resource Centre are worried about keeping seniors on tight budgets warm during cold weather.

Volunteer Mary O’Grady came up with the idea for a coat and blanket drive, ironically, during the recent heat wave.

“I invited some seniors from the resource centre to my home during the heat wave because they were hesitant to use their air conditioners because of the hydro increases,” O’Grady said. “That got me thinking that if they are concerned about cooling costs, then what about heat in the winter?”

O’Grady approached Seniors Resource Centre organizers Chuck and Nancy Giles with the proposal.

“We get clothes donated here all the time and they go out the door immediately,” Chuck Giles said. “But we thought this focus on coats was a good idea.”

The resource centre is asking the community to donate gently-used coats and blankets during the next couple of months. The centre will then use its connections with agencies in Brantford that deal with seniors to get the coats and blankets to those in need.

“The seniors that will use this are the ones that don’t have $10 for a coat at Value Village and don’t have the means to get to a garage sale,” O’Grady said. 

Giles said there wouldn’t be any criteria for the program.

“If a senior says they need a coat, they can have one,” he said. “We operate on a ‘take what you need’ basis.”

The Seniors Resource Centre is located at 783 Colborne St. Call 519-309-0032 to arrange a donation.