For nearly three decades, Athene USA has supported DMPS students in advance of winter weather with free coats and boots. This year’s effort got underway at McKinley Elementary School; Athene is doing their annual giveaway at four schools with almost 1,500 students. Below is a press release from Athene on the initiative. Posted at the bottom is a photo album from the event at McKinley.
Athene USA (“Athene”), a leading provider of retirement savings products, donated winter clothing essentials to nearly 1,500 children at Cattell, McKinley, Howe and Studebaker elementary schools through its annual Coats & Boots program.
Now in its 28th year, Coats & Boots originally started as a relief effort to provide support to victims of the 1993 floods. The program has evolved into a legacy program that has supplied coats and boots to an estimated 17,000 students in Central Iowa.
“Athene’s corporate giving philosophy is rooted in actively engaging in our communities to make an impact,” said Kristi Kaye Burma, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Athene USA. “Coats & Boots was started 28 years ago during a time when our community was in great need and navigating massive uncertainty following the Floods of ‘93. As children in Des Moines endure another school year filled with change and uncertainty, Athene is proud to be a small source of security by providing a warm coat and pair of boots to every child at four local schools. Despite the ongoing challenges being faced, the need for warm coats and boots for children remains the same and we are proud to continue our legacy of supporting four local elementary schools through Coats & Boots.”
The program focuses its support on four Des Moines metro schools who have the greatest population of students in need by equipping them with a new winter coat and pair of snow boots to be better prepared for Iowa’s harsh winters.
“The Coats and Boots program has a tremendous impact on our kids and their families,” said Sarah Grady, principal at McKinley Elementary School. “Knowing they will be able to count on a coat that fits and warm boots so they can get outside and play this winter is such a comfort. As always, we are very grateful to Athene and their employees for the generous donation of both the winter gear and the time spent volunteering at our schools.”
Coats & Boots is Athene’s signature giving program, and more than 180 employee volunteers helped to make this year’s program a success. In addition to the winter clothing donated to the four Des Moines schools, Athene will also donate roughly 200 coats and boots to West Des Moines Human Services Clothing Closet, where they will be available at no cost to families in need. The coats and boots are provided by the Athene USA Charitable Foundation with the support of JC Penney and Shoe Carnival.
