Join in support-October Boot Drive
Fall in Vermont is a special time of year, where brilliant colors paint the mountains. Fall evokes coziness, safety, warm fireplaces, family gatherings, shared meals, and apple picking. Unfortunately, fall doesn’t cause these feelings for everyone. For some people, including people experiencing homelessness, fall is a reminder that cold weather is approaching - and that shelter, a warm coat, and winter boots are important for survival.
Our coldest temperature last winter was also Vermont’s coldest day in 20 years, with wind chills causing a low of about -40 degrees. People experiencing homelessness walk an average of 10 miles per day, no matter the weather. Increased risks of physical injury, poor hygiene, and inadequate footwear have been cited as contributing factors to the development of foot problems. For the winter months, we partner with Gadue’s Dry Cleaning to provide people with warm coats, and this October, with your help, we provide as many winter boots as possible to our neighbors in need.
You can support our efforts by donating new winter boots. Winter boots that are most helpful to the people we serve are waterproof, rated at least -10°F, and men’s size 9-12.
- You can drop these off to 95 North Ave in Burlington. We are open Monday through Friday 9am - 5 pm.
- Purchase winter boots off our Amazon wish list.
- Make a financial contribution so that we can purchase winter boots at cotsonline.org/donate and write ‘October boot drive’ in the notes.
Thank you for helping to keep everyone a little warmer and safer this season.
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