Mets Holiday Coat Drive Earns Tickets For Fans

Tara Cook, New York Cares annual events manager, looks over some of the coats donated at Shea Stadium during the second annual "Mets Warm- Up" Holiday Coat Drive December 12 and 13. Fans who donated coats received a voucher redeemable for two tickets to a select home game in April 2008, the last season the Mets will play at Shea Stadium. Photo Vinny DuPre

The New York Mets held the second annual "Mets Warm-Up" Holiday Coat Drive in conjunction with SportsNet New York (SNY), DHL, and New York Cares on December 12 and 13 at Shea Stadium. Fans who donated new or gently worn winter coats received a voucher redeemable for two tickets to a select home game in April 2008 during the Mets' final season at Shea. Fans made their donations at the Diamond Club Entrance at Shea Stadium (located between Gates C and D) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fans parked through Lot X8 at Marina Circle.

All coats were donated to New York Cares, a nonprofit organization serving more than 850 diverse nonprofit agencies, public schools and other deserving organizations throughout the five boroughs.

DHL, the official express delivery and logistics company of the New York Mets and Major League Baseball have donated their services to deliver the coats to the New York Cares warehouse in Manhattan.

The New York Cares Coat Drive, one of the largest of its kind in the United States, collects more than 80,000 gently used winter coats each year for men, women and children in need throughout New York City. Since 1989, New York Cares has collected more than one million coats and distributed them to homeless shelters, agencies serving seniors and community organizations supporting people in need throughout the city. The New York Cares Coat Drive runs through December 31.

More coats are needed. Coats can be dropped off at any New York City Police Department precinct house or the Time Warner payment center in Queens Center Mall. For more information on the New York Cares Coat Drive visit nycares.org for drop-off locations throughout the five boroughs.