CHAD Coat Drive Deadline Passed

The deadline to sign up for a children’s coat through Charlestown Against Drugs’ annual Christmas For Kids drive has passed.

CHAD accepted applications from Charlestown residents wanting to participate in the program through 5 p.m. on Monday. By Wednesday, all the coats had been purchased and were being readied for delivery, according to Christine Vraivel, community service officer with Boston Police Department.

Vraivel said some calls had come in after the deadline from residents interested in signing up for the program, but no more applications are being accepted.

A total of 217 people signed up for children’s coats this year, Vraivel said.

“It’s always just around 200—maybe it’s shy of 200 or a couple over, but it’s usually right around that number,” she said. “This is definitely one of our higher years.”

For those who signed up for a coat by the Dec. 10 deadline, people from CHAD will be calling over the next week or so to let them know when they can pick up their coats.

Funding for the Christmas For Kids coat drive comes from CHAD, with the help of donations, Vraivel said.

Representatives from the organization were at Bunker Hill Mall last weekend collecting donations.

“A lot of people were very generous on Saturday and put their hands in their pockets when they were coming out of Dunkin’ Donuts and CVS,” Vraivel said.

CHAD also accepts mail-in donations at: CHAD, P.O. Box 35, Charlestown, MA 02129.

For more information about the organization, visit charlestownagainstdrugs.org.