WRAL.com: Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville

Before the first snowflake falls, help us make it a warmer and happier winter for Salvation Army families during WRAL’s 23rd Annual Coats & Toys for the Children campaign! Donate gently-used winter coats, hats, gloves and scarves. And new this year – donate a new toy to make a child’s holiday brighter!

Why are we collecting new toys? Over the last two years, the Salvation Army has seen a huge increase in the number of families signing up for its December ‘Toy Shop’ program. In Wake County alone, the Salvation Army estimates close to 8,500 children will need holiday assistance!  Slideshow     Coats for Children telethon

The Salvation Army’s goal is to provide two new toys to each child whose family has requested holiday help through the Toy Shop. Together with you, WRAL is here to help the Salvation Army reach that goal! All gently-used coats, winter clothing and new toys go directly to Salvation Army families in need.

Last year, WRAL’s Coats for the Children Telethon collected nearly 10,000 coats and raised $80,000 to buy new, warm winter clothing for children in need. Since 1989, WRAL has collected 125,000 coats and raised $1,224,000 to provide winter clothing for Salvation Army families

WRAL thanks its community sponsors at Jiffy Lube and First Citizens Bank for their support of this project.

Donate new or gently used coats and new toys at participating Jiffy Lube and First Citizens Bank. View a detailed list of drop-off locations.

In addition to clean coats and new toys, WRAL is asking the public to donate other winter clothing items, including gently used gloves and hats and new underwear, T-shirts and socks to completely outfit a child for the winter months. Any size coat will be accepted; however, larger sizes for teens and adults and infant sizes are in particular demand.

There are three ways to donate:

1. Drop off used, clean coats and new toys anytime before Jan. 1.

Bring coats and toys to participating Jiffy Lube and First Citizens Bank locations in Apex, Cary, Chapel Hill, Clayton, Durham, Fayetteville, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Goldsboro, Knightdale, Pittsboro, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park, Spring Lake, Wake Forest, Wendell, Wilson and Zebulon.

2. Text message a donation!
Text “Coats” to 85944 to donate $10 to the Coats for the Children campaign. The donation will be added to your mobile bill. Messaging & data rates may apply. Go to hMGF.org/t for terms and help.

WRAL.com will match every $10 donation, up to a $5,000 total!

3. Make a monetary donation online with PayPal

From now until Dec. 31, click the "Donate" button below to make a secure online donation using your credit card.

4. Send a check
Checks should be made payable to The Salvation Army at:

What a donation will buy:

• $85: Complete winter outfit
• $75: New, warm coat
• $25: Sweatpants and sweatshirt
• $20: One pair of shoes
• $15: Five pairs of socks or tights, or one sweater, or one pair of jeans
• $10: One pair of slippers and one pair of socks or up to six pairs of underwear
• $5: One hat and one pair of mittens or gloves

Volunteer your time

It takes lots of people to help sort coats and other clothing. For more information on volunteering, call WRAL-TV Community Relations Director Loretta Harper-Arnold at 919-821-8652.

View a detailed list of drop-off locations.

If you know a family in need of a coat or other winter clothing, contact the Salvation Army at the following locations:

Chatham County
200 Sanford Road, Suite 2
Pittsboro, N.C. 27312
Phone: 919-542-1593 or 919-663-0443

Cumberland & Moore Counties
Box 514
Fayetteville, N.C. 28302
Phone: 910-483-8119 or 910-307-0359

Durham & Orange Counties
909 Liberty St.
Box 1330
Durham, N.C. 27702
Phone: 919-688-7306

Edgecombe & Nash Counties
420 Paul Street
P.O. Box 1977
Rocky Mount, NC 27802-1977
Phone: 252-446-4496 or 252-446-3939

Granville County
P.O. Box 805
Smithfield, N.C. 27577
Phone: 252-438-7107

Harnett & Johnston Counties
P.O. Box 805
Smithfield, N.C. 27577
Phone: 919-934-9102
Dunn Office: 910-892-2902

Lee County
Phone: 919-718-1717

Wake County
215 S. Person St.
Box 27584
Raleigh, N.C. 27611
Phone: 919-834-6733

Wilson County
Box 96
Wilson, N.C. 27894
Phone: 252-243-2696