Kim’s Coat Drive for Kids is off to a great start. With the generous support of our area’s public libraries and Harding’s Family Markets, there are 13 locations across Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph counties where you can give a kid a coat.

Through no fault of their own, too many children throughout southwest Michigan find themselves without a warm coat as the temperatures begin to cool, and area school leaders my office has communicated with agree.

Going without a warm coat can have negative health effects. Cold weather exposure forces the body to work harder to stay warm. The added physical stress and inability to regulate body temperature predisposes people — and especially the vulnerable, like children — to illness.

That’s why I am inviting southwest Michigan residents to join me this month for Kim’s Coat Drive for Kids to collect new or gently used coats for children in the 21st Senate District. Take a look through your closets and consider donating your gently used coats and jackets. If you feel compelled and have the means, also consider donating new coats at participating locations in our communities.

You can find a complete list of drop-off locations on my website at StateSenatorKimLaSata.com.

Also, if your family or a family you know of is in immediate need of a coat or other clothing items, there are several great organizations in southwest Michigan, like the Harbor Country Mission, that provide clothes and other items free of charge year-round.

Southwest Michigan is a wonderful place to live, and it’s made even greater by the generous spirit of those who help make it home.