Centric Boston Helps Local Children ‘Gear up for Winter’

As the temperatures begin to drop and we start to bundle up to stay warm, this might be hard to imagine, but it’s happening: There are more than 300,000 children in Massachusetts living in low-income and homeless situations that are facing a harsh New England winter without adequate clothing to keep them warm and safe.

Thankfully, there are organizations like Cradles to Crayons that are doing their part to help.

As part of their annual ‘Gear Up for Winter’ program, Cradles to Crayons hopes to help keep 40,000 children warm this winter by providing them with a winter coat, hat, and gloves, as well as warm layers of clothing, waterproof winter boots, and other basic essentials.

Giving Back to the Community

Members of the Centric Boston team visited the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory for a volunteer evening on Nov 1^st. Together they worked to prepare 137 “KidPacks” – as they’re called – for Boston area children from as young as newborn to 12 years old.

This is the second year in a row Centric Boston supports the organization’s efforts to prepare individually tailored “KidPacks,” which are meant to provide children with items to help them stay healthy, playful and involved in school activities. In addition to winter clothing, these packs often include books, school supplies, and even birthday gifts – all of which are furnished through donations to Cradles to Crayons.

Leading up to the night, the Boston team also led a winter clothing drive, collecting donated winter gloves and hats. The team also raised $330 – enough money to provide a coat, hat and gloves to 10 area children.

Many thanks to coordinators Anna Legassie and Linda Stevens, and volunteers Errol Yudelman, Craig Holbrook, Zachary Holbrook, Russell Bracket, Cristy Ballou, Nick Brackett, Rachel Lackie, Brian Sedor, Kent Oldmixon, Nick Larbes, Meghan Sinnott, and Ankur Sharma.

About Cradles to Crayons

Cradles to Crayons launched in 2002 and has operations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The nonprofit provides children from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive—at home, at school, and at play.

They supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities that have with communities that need. Cradles to Crayons mobilizes communities of plenty on behalf of communities of need, recycling and reusing high-quality children’s goods and engaging thousands of youth and adults in tangible service activities each year that benefit local children.

About Centric Boston

Centric Boston leaders have deep backgrounds in corporate and business unit strategy working in financial services, healthcare, retail and higher education. Our process focus, from re-engineering to Lean / Six Sigma, offers a pragmatic approach to strategy execution.