NEW YORK, Dec. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Representatives from 11 area schools and local charities will receive over 2,000 warm winter coats after members of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association raised over $60,000 to purchase coats from Operation Warm, a national non-profit that manufactures brand-new, high-quality coats and shoes for children in need. The event took place at local franchised new car dealership Helms Bros., in Queens, New York. The Helms Bros. Group has donated $12,000 to the drive this year—enough to gift 600 brand-new coats to local area children.
Local franchised new car dealers joined forces with Operation Warm to provide brand new warm winter coats to eleven schools and community groups for the children in their care. Helms Bros. Auto Group hosted the event on behalf of the Greater New York Auto Dealers Association which overseas the annual event.
On behalf of its 400 local franchised new car dealer members, Greater NY Auto Dealer Association president Mark Schienberg hands out 2,000 coats to 11 charities in New York City today.
Representatives from Little Flower Children and Family Services collect coats to give to children in their care at the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association's annual new coat giveaway in conjunction with Operation Warm at Helms Bros Auto Group in Queens, New York.
Rising to new heights, Helms Bros. Mercedes hosts the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association's annual coat drive event for children in need.
"New car and truck dealers in local communities all over metro New York are some of the largest contributors to charities, but the coat drive is one of the most important efforts that they undertake each year in the cold winter months to make life a little easier for people in need of assistance. We admire their generosity and community spirit," said Mark Schienberg, President of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.
New York State Senator John C. Liu joined representatives from GNYADA, Helms Bros., Dime Bank, Commonpoint Queens, Little Flower Children & Family Services, PS/IS 208, PS133Q, Acacia Network Housing, The Landing Family Shelter, Boys and Girls Club, IS10 LIC, PS 58 Bronx, IS 145Q, Middle School 80 Bronx, and the Bayside Business Association were all in attendance to distribute the coats and encourage others to help.
"Helms Bros. is thrilled to join other local area franchised new car dealers to provide brand-new warm winter coats to those who need them most. COVID has created so many challenges for parents and if we can help take away one of those burdens and help keep a child warm this winter, we're more than happy to step up to the plate," said Suzanne Cochrane, General Manager, Helms Bros.
Families throughout the region are in greater need than ever this winter because of the devastation of COVID-19. In fact, Operation Warm has received nearly triple the number of coat requests than ever before – and the number continues to grow with each passing day. That is why GNYADA teamed up with them to support New York children in need.
"We applaud the incredible concerted effort by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association to rally its entire membership of local new car dealers to provide warm coats to children in need this winter," said Operation Warm Executive Director, Grace Sica.
Once again local franchised new car dealers stepped up to the plate this winter to raise thousands of dollars for brand-new winter coats for children in need throughout New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and the Lower Hudson Valley.
In past years, GNYADA was the largest multi-location collector of winter coats for the annual New York Cares coat drive. In total, GNYADA has contributed over 70,000 coats collected from metro area dealers to help those in need during the coldest months.
ABOUT HELMS BROS. In 1934, Frank and Charlie Helms, the "Helms Brothers", founded what is today Helms Bros. in Bayside as a Studebaker-Packard dealership. In 1957, Helms Bros. became one of the first Mercedes-Benz dealerships on Long Island. Helms Bros is honored to share its success with the community including: Bayside Little League, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, North Shore Animal Shelter, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, March of Dimes, Cancer Research Institute, Young People's Day Camps, Special Olympics New York, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation, Local Food Bank, and New York Cares Coat Drive. www.helmsbros.com
ABOUT GNYADA Headquartered in Whitestone, N.Y, the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association represents 400 franchised automobile dealerships in the metro area of New York, generating $39.3 billion in new vehicle sales, $2.4 billion in taxes and supporting 64,500 New Yorkers. The Association opened its doors in 1910 and has continued to serve the needs of the industry and the car-buying public ever since. GNYADA organizes the New York International Automobile Show – the largest auto show in North America – each spring, in Manhattan's Jacob Javits Convention Center. www.gnyada.com
ABOUT OPERATION WARM Operation Warm is a national nonprofit that provides warmth, confidence, and hope through basic need programs that connect underserved children to community resources they need to thrive. Over the last 22 years, Operation Warm and our partners have used brand-new coats and shoes as a bridge for families in need to access everything from flu shots to new books.
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