Hundreds of students in the Stop Six community will be warm this winter, thanks to the annual coat giveaway sponsored by Witherite Law Group, 1-800-TruckWreck and the Fort Worth Independent School District.
The annual Witherite-FWISD coat giveaway was held Dec. 3 at the Stallion Pointe Apartment Clubhouse, and more than 300 brand-new coats were distributed to youth and young adults, grades pre-K to 12 grade.
“The FWISD Family Action Center truly appreciates Witherite Law Group and their commitment to the Fort Worth Community,” said Dr. Carlos Walker, director for the FWISD Family Action Center. “The partnership allows us to stay connected to our Stop Six residents that have been relocated to other areas. We miss our families and want them to return to Stop Six as soon as housing becomes available.”
The event space was organized like a traditional department store with coats sorted by size and color on clothing racks. Upon entry, recipients were greeted by a volunteer and escorted to choose their brand-new coat. Thanks to local vendors, the children also enjoyed food, bounce houses, holiday music and photos with Santa.
Temperatures in Tarrant County can get to near freezing between November and February. Without the proper attire, children are more susceptible to weakened immune systems, which may result in illness. Unfortunately, many students do not own or have access to an adequate coat to keep them healthy, comfortable and warm.
“This coat giveaway is very near to my heart because my mom taught school in the Stop Six community, so I feel a deep connection to the children and families who live there,” said Amy Witherite, founder of Witherite Law Group and 1-800-TruckWreck. “We’re grateful to Fort Worth ISD and look forward to continuing our partnership to ensure the needs of our community are met.”
Over the years of this annual project, Witherite Law Group and 1-800-TruckWreck has provided over 1,800 coats for Fort Worth ISD students during the holiday season.
Fort Worth ISD Family Acton Center and Witherite Law Group worked with the Fort Worth Housing Solutions and case managers through Urban Strategies Inc. to help identify and register students from the area who needed coats. In addition to the coat giveaway, Witherite Law Group and 1-800-TruckWreck recently made sure 1,300 families had turkeys on the table for Thanksgiving.