Steve's Coats for Kids provides for those in need

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Channel 9 officially kicked off the annual collection of Steve’s Coats for Kids.

The drive, led by Chief Meteorologist Steve Udelson, brought in more than 20,000 coats last year.

The drive is the only way some kids in our area will have coats this winter.

Muriel Celestin's five kids know a thing or two about working hard, whether it's cleaning the kitchen, folding laundry or taking care of 8-month-old Myla.

“Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes it's hard,” Celestin said.

She works 10 to 12 hours a day, sometimes six days a week, as a hotel chef, but even that full-time job doesn't always pay the bills.

Many of those bills fall through the cracks.

“The water bill, push it to the side,” she said. “The light bill sometimes, pay what I can pay, if it's Christmas, I'll stretch it, pay a little bit to hold me until the next month."

Steve's Coats for Kids drive was created 12 years ago to help those like Celestin’s family who can't seem to make ends meet, and who don't have the money for warm winter coats.

Every coat donated goes to a child who otherwise wouldn't have one.

Celestin’s children got to pick out their coats Wednesday.

Celestin wants people who donated the coats to know how much she appreciates them.

“Thank you for taking the time out to think about somebody in need, that needed a coat,” she said.

Cox Media Group