Rivera partners with Operation Warm, Highmark & National Grid to kick off annual winter clothing drive

Donations will help New Americans transition to the challenges of Buffalo winters

Submitted by the Office of Assembly member Jon D. Rivera

Following a successful inaugural year, and with the winter months finally setting in across this region, Assembly member Jon D. Rivera has announced a return of the winter clothing drive to support Lafayette International High School, Jericho Road and the refugees and new Americans who may find themselves unprepared for the challenges of a Buffalo winter.

The clothing drive stems from the importance of extending a warm welcome to our new community members and ensuring their well-being and safety during the coldest months of the year.

To meet this critical need, Assembly member Rivera partnered with Operation Warm, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that manufactures brand-new, high-quality coats and shoes for children in need. Operation Warm aims to improve childhood academic outcomes and address childhood poverty through their new coats and shoes program. In 2023-24 alone, Operation Warm distributed roughly 1 million winter coats and pairs of shoes to approximately 1,950 communities across 57 North American states and provinces, Puerto Rico, Chile and Argentina.

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and National Grid generously stepped in to provide the funding necessary to produce the coats, which will be donated to new Americans with the help of Jericho Road and Lafayette International High School.

Located on Buffalo’s West Side, Jericho Road’s goal is to provide excellent medical care to all who walk through the doors, regardless of their ability to pay. In addition to serving patients from Buffalo, JRFP cares for a large number of refugees, many of whom have never seen a doctor or received proper medical care before coming to America.

Buffalo’s winters can be particularly harsh, and for individuals arriving from warmer climates, adapting to the colder weather can be a significant challenge. According to the National Weather Service, climate averages for Buffalo reflect a temperature increase ranging from .2 to 1.2 degrees for nine of the 12 months of the year, comparing 1981-2010 to 1991-2020. These temperature increases lead to a warmer lake, resulting in more dramatic and unpredictable snowstorms, which can leave even lifelong residents unprepared.

In addition to the initial donation of the coats from Operation Warm, Assembly member Rivera is kicking off a winter clothing drive to collect essential warm weather gear like new or gently used coats, hats, gloves, scarves and boots.

Donation drop-off locations will be set up at the following location:

√ Assembly member Jon Rivera’s Buffalo Office, 65 Grant St., Buffalo

√ Seneca One lobby (second floor), 1 Seneca St., Buffalo

√ Hamburg Village Hall, 100 Main St.

Items can be donated through the end of January 2025. In addition to donations from individuals or families, local organizations and businesses are invited to partner in this endeavor.

Rivera said, “Part of being a ‘good neighbor’ Buffalonian means looking around and making sure everyone has what they need to get through tough winter months. There are so many challenges when acclimating to a new city, but together we can make sure something as simple as winter coats and boots aren’t one of them. I want to thank Operation Warm and Blue Cross Blue Shield for partnering with my office on this clothing drive to support Jericho Road and Lafayette High School, as we hope to make a significant difference in the lives of those who have chosen Buffalo as their new home.”

Anna Ireland Mongo, chief program officer at Jericho Road, said, “We are humbled by the continuous giving of our Buffalo community to welcome our new neighbors and friends. We are grateful to Assembly member Rivera and his team for coordinating this drive, and we know our newest neighbors will benefit greatly from this generosity.”

Lafayette High School Principal John Starkey said, “At Lafayette International HS on Buffalo's West Side, we pride ourselves on helping the newest Americans who arrive to our program as brand-new to the country. What the students sometimes lack in English and resources, they more than make up for in their hard work ethic and dedication to school, family and community. Thanks to Assemblyman Jonathan Rivera and Operation Warm, our school's newest students can secure a warm winter jacket. It's this selfless attitude on behalf of people like Assemblyman Rivera, as well as Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Tonja Williams Knight, that makes Buffalo the ‘City of Good Neighbors.’ We know that the small investment we make in these students today will pay us all back tenfold as we look forward to these newest arrivals to our community becoming part of its future leadership.”

Michael Ball, vice president of community affairs at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, said, “At Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, we're committed to ensuring everyone has the fundamental resources to thrive. Providing winter essentials to our newest neighbors is a small but vital way we can extend a warm welcome and help them begin to build strong, healthy lives in Western New York. Supporting Jericho Road Vive and Lafayette High School with coats, in partnership with Assembly member Rivera and National Grid, is deeply meaningful this time of year.”

National Grid Regional Director Ken Kujawa said, “At National Grid, we know that there is so much that can be done to positively impact our Western New York communities. We’re grateful to have learned about this emerging need as winter approaches, and for the opportunity to be part of Operation Warm with Assembly member Rivera. His leadership will help to provide basic necessities to those who need it most.”

Operation Warm Executive Director Grace Sica said, “Our goal is to ignite hope and to empower children by providing the gift of warmth, but a new coat is so much more than a piece of clothing; it’s a chance for a child to feel confident and cared for regardless of their circumstances.”

Village of Hamburg Mayor Thomas P. Tallman said, “We are pleased to be able to assist Assembly member Jon Rivera with the winter clothing drive. The Village of Hamburg is a welcoming and friendly community, and helping others is what we do. We hope the clothing drive is very successful and look forward to accepting donations for those in need at Village Hall.”

For more information on Operation Warm and its work to provide winter clothing for children in need, visit its website. For more information on the National Weather Service’s climate models, visit https://www.weather.gov/buf/newnormals.