Durham, N.C. – The Welcome Baby program out of the Durham Cooperative Extension is hosting its 13^th annual coat drive. Last year’s event collected and distributed a record-breaking 1,427 coats, that benefited Durham County youth. The Welcome Baby team is looking to top that number this year and asks community members to donate gently used and new children’s coats, hats, and scarves in sizes newborn to 8 years. This year’s event will run from Monday, November 17, 2025, until Friday, January 9, 2026.

“Since launching the coat drive in 2012 in response to a clear need, it has far exceeded our expectations — not only in the number of coats collected and distributed but also in the number of organizations we’ve partnered with,” said Welcome Baby Manager. Patience Mukelabai. “A warm coat can do more than shield a child from the cold, it can remind a family that they are seen, supported, and cared for. Together, we can wrap our community in warmth and compassion this season.”

Donated coats should be freshly washed and dried before dropping them off at one of the following collection locations:

• Durham County Cooperative Extension (Welcome Baby office): 721 Foster St.
• The following Durham County Library locations:
  • Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.
  • East Regional, 211 Lick Creek Ln.
  • North Regional, 221 Milton Rd.
  • South Regional, 4505 S. Alston Ave.
  • Southwest Regional, 3605 Shannon Rd.
• Little Gym Durham, 1125 NC 54, Suite 602 (Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat-Sun, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.)
• Der Nach Bar, 4916 Hillsborough Rd. (Tue-Thurs, 1 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.)
• Once Upon a Child: 4600 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Suite 10 (Mon-Sat, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.)
  • If you purchase a coat at this location for the coat drive, you will receive a $5 coupon to use on your next purchase.

Items can be dropped off at the Welcome Baby Program location Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Please check Welcome Baby’s Facebook and Instagram accounts for other locations.

Collection times at DCo Library locations are determined by the hours each location operates, which can be found at DurhamCountyLibrary.org.                                 

Welcome Baby, a program of the Durham County Cooperative Extension supported by funds from Durham County Government Duke Endowment and Durham’s Partnership for Children, a Smart Start Initiative, works to provide clothing, diapers, car seats, cribs, and evidence based positive parenting classes. The program services almost 2,000 families a year in the Durham area with children under the age of five.

Welcome Baby distributes the coats to families during the weekly Giving Closet. Families can also receive free infant, toddler, children, and maternity clothing, as well as baby equipment and diapers based on availability.

If community members or organizations would like to partner with Welcome Baby to host a mini coat drive, establish a drop-off location, or get additional information about Welcome Baby’s programs and services, contact Cindy Riley at 919-560-7319 or at ckriley@dconc.gov.

Learn more at www.welcomebaby.org.

About Welcome Baby

Welcome Baby is a program offered by the NC Cooperative Extension in Durham County that provides clothing, car seats and youth development accessories, as well as evidence-based parenting classes for the residents of Durham County. Welcome Baby strives to strengthen parents and guardians’ parenting skills and relationships with their children by providing child development information, emotional and practical support.

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