LCH staff and volunteers prepare bags of coats for families participating in the annual distribution in LCH’s West Grove location. From left to right: Volunteer and LCH Member Alejandra Perez, LCH Caseworker Clark Davis, Volunteer and LCH Member Xóchil Soto, LCH Outreach and Education Coordinator Norma Diego-Flores, LCH Community Engagement Manager Amanda Blevins.
WEST GROVE — Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, LCH (La Comunidad Hispana) distributed 483 new coats to local families during their annual Warm Wishes Coat Drive. The coats were sponsored by Concordville Nissan and Concordville Subaru, who donated three hundred and fifty coats through Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation’s Driving Away the Cold program and event sponsor UnitedHealthcare. Local community members also provided additional coats for the distribution.
“Thinking through a safe distribution of coats was a challenge, but we were up for it,” said Amanda Blevins, Community Engagement Manager. “Our annual coat drive has been a longstanding tradition at LCH, and we knew there was a way to make it happen safely during COVID-19. Now more than ever, with so many challenges for local families, we wanted to get these coats out.”
In place of one large event, the distribution took place by appointment over the past week. Pre-registered families stopped by LCH’s West Grove location for the pick-up. LCH’s West Grove site, which houses pediatrics, women’s health, dental, and behavioral health, is located at 105 Vineyard Way, across from Luther House and next to Willowdale Chapel’s Jennersville campus. LCH also has health centers in Oxford and in Kennett Square, which provide integrated primary care, acute care, chronic care, mental health, and social services. All LCH locations and services are open to the community regardless of health insurance. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), LCH offers a sliding fee scale based on income and family size. No one is turned away due to inability to pay.
“With so much coordination between the LCH Outreach Team, sponsors, and community volunteers and support, I am amazed at how everything came together, even with all of our challenges and limitations during COVID-19,” said Margarita Garay Zarco, Co-Interim CEO and Director of Human Resources at LCH. “Our team-based care approach truly crosses all of our services, and into the greater community. I am so proud of that.”
