CARBONDALE – The City of Carbondale Police Department has once again partnered with the Illinois University Carbondale Athletics Department this holiday season to collect new coats for boys and girls, ages 1-10 in Carbondale.
The donated coats will benefit the children served by the Carbondale Police Department Community Christmas Store. New coats will be collected at all home men’s and women’s basketball games on the following schedule:
Men’s Basketball Games
- Nov. 8, 2024
- Nov. 18, 2024
Women’s Basketball
- Nov. 11, 2024
- Nov. 13, 2024
Carbondale Interim City Manager and Police Chief Stan Reno expressed the Police Department’s appreciation and enthusiasm for the annual event:
“We’re grateful for this partnership with SIU Athletics, which gives our community a chance to provide coats for Carbondale children during the winter months. Every coat donated brings us one step closer to a brighter holiday season for local families in need.”
The Carbondale Police Department Community Christmas Store is an annual event conducted by the Carbondale Police Department’s Crime Victims’ Advocate. The event provides new shoes and new toys to families of 150 children from families residing in Carbondale. Our goal this year is also to provide each of these children with a warm coat as we enter the winter months.
Coats for children will also be accepted for donation at the Carbondale Police Department, located at 501 S. Washington St., and at the Carbondale Civic Center lobby, located at 200 S. Illinois Ave. The deadline for donations will be Dec. 5, which is the conclusion of the program for the year.
The Carbondale Police Department and the Southern Illinois University Athletics Department are proud to partner with our community to make the holidays a little better for those among us who are in need.