YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown Community School fifth grader Ernel Crump walked across the school cafeteria, showcasing his new blue coat.
“It’s cool,” he said as he joined his classmates.
Ernel was one of the school’s 300 kindergarten through fifth grade students who received a winter coat Thursday from Boardman Subaru and the nonprofit Operation Warm. They partnered with the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley for the coat distribution.
Students got to pick the color of the coat they wanted, and then a member of the Boardman Subaru staff helped ensure a good fit.
John Stanko, Boardman Subaru vice president, said this marks the second year the dealership has connected with the nonprofits to provide coats for Youngstown Community School students.
“This is part of our Subaru Love Promise,” he said. “This initiative is called Subaru Loves to Help, so between Boardman Subaru and Subaru America, we partner with Operation Warm and United Way to donate coats to children in need.”
Boardman Subaru orders the coats from Operation Warm.
It’s part of Boardman Subaru and Subaru of America’s mission to be part of the community, he explained.
“We always want to be more than a car dealer,” he said.
At least four times each year, the company has an initiative to help the community, including people in need, people battling disease, pets and the planet.
“There’s always a program going on that we can get involved in our community and make the world a better place,” Stanko said.
Ten Boardman Subaru employees volunteered at the coat giveaway Thursday.
General Manager Donnie Nameth and Robbie Fellman, fixed operations director, were among them.
Nameth likes that the company partners with organizations like Operation Warm to help people in need.
“That’s their whole thing is just helping people in need, and the fact that we can be part of it in any capacity is just important to us,” he said.
Fellman said Subaru makes being part of the community a priority.
“This is awesome that we get to do that,” he said. “We work for a company that wants you to become a bigger part of it, so we’re very fortunate that we can do something to actually make a difference.”
Michelle Payich, school superintendent, said it’s significant for the school to have community partners to help remove barriers to getting students to school to learn.
“Anything we can do, any community partnership we can have is really powerful to removing any barriers to learning,” she said.
The students get excited about receiving a new coat, and with economic conditions, it helps families as well.
“I think that right now with inflation and with how difficult things are with our economy, families everywhere are struggling, and so anything that we can do for any families that need it, this partnership is truly important to us,” the superintendent said.
Fifth graders Cameron Campbell, Raymon Monknox and Savayah Saunders like their new coats too. Cameron chose a black and blue coat.
“Black and blue are my favorite colors,” Cameron said.
Raymon opted for a black coat, while Savayah chose pink and black.
“It’s soft,” she said.
Kielly Rapp, United Way community impact director, said United Way partners with Operation Warm on other initiatives, including its Care Closets at area schools.
“One of the big things is we want to make sure that children in our community are getting the basic things that they need,” she said. “By doing this, we are stopping that barrier and getting them what they need …”