Minneapolis Firefighters 'Coats for Kids' Event is Tonight at Fulton Brewery

The Minneapolis Firefighters Association invites the community to join them at Fulton Tap Room tonight (Monday, Sept. 30) for a special event dedicated to warming the hearts, minds, and bodies, of children in need.

The event is the culmination of a fundraising campaign led by Minneapolis Firefighters to provide at-risk children in Minneapolis with brand-new, American-made coats for the winter.

This is the first year Minneapolis Firefighters have joined forces with national non-profit Operation Warm to launch the program, “Firefighters Coats for Kids,” a movement led by firefighters across the U.S. to combat the effects of childhood poverty while saving American jobs. 

Each ticket purchased will provide a brand-new, American-made winter coat for a child at Lucy Craft Laney Elementary in North Minneapolis where nearly 100 percent of students live at a degree of the federal poverty level.

“The community has really stepped up to support the kids,” says Justin Johnson, Local 82 firefighter. “Local businesses have been extremely generous and we hope everyone who attends leaves with something to remember.”

Teaming with Fulton Brewery, the Minneapolis Firefighters have coordinated the community gathering of the fall.  Features include a DJ, the city’s most popular food trucks, antique fire engines, and raffles.

“By nature of our service to the community, we see how poverty affects these children,” stated Mark Lakosky, President of Minneapolis Firefighters, Local 82. “Keeping them warm and safe throughout the winter is the least we can do.” Minneapolis Firefighters hope to raise nearly $20,000 and have already received support from major players such as EMC Corporation, CBRE, and CenterPoint Energy. Just before the mid-western cold sets in, Firefighters will surprise the students with their bright new coats, personally fitting each child, and helping them to write their names in the interior tag, which reads, “Made Especially for You.”

• Fulton Tap Room: 414 6th Ave, North Minneapolis
• Time: 7-10pm
• Purchase $30 dollar tickets online: www.operationwarm.org/fulton
• Donate to Minneapolis Firefighters Coats for Kids: www.operationwarm.org/minneapolis82