By Townhall Chicago News Staff
The Chicago Housing Authority distributed 5,000 new winter coats to families and children at its 19th annual Operation Warm event Saturday at the UIC Forum, serving nearly 1,600 households as temperatures begin to drop across the region.
The annual effort targets some of the city’s most vulnerable residents, providing warm clothing and connecting families in public housing and the Housing Choice Voucher program with dozens of community resources ahead of winter.
“Every child in Chicago deserves to walk into winter feeling warm and confident,” CHA CEO Keith Pettigrew said in a news release. “A new coat is the start, but this event is really about making sure families leave with the resources that help them thrive long after the season changes.”
Beyond coat distribution, the event’s service fair brought together 29 organizations offering a range of resources. Families received 15,000 new books through the National Book Foundation’s Book Rich Environment Initiative. Free COVID-19 and flu vaccines and boosters were available, along with haircuts, cell phones and CityKey cards, according to the CHA. Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin also addressed attendees.
Among the families who attended was Melissa Poore, a South Shore CHA resident and mother of three children ages 13, 11 and 1. Poore said the new coats will provide peace of mind through Chicago’s harsh winters. She also planned to connect with resources at the service fair, including LIHEAP energy assistance, employment opportunities and health and wellness services.
“Operation Warm is about giving families comfort, security, and peace of mind,” Poore said in the release. “As a mother, I’m truly thankful to CHA and everyone involved for showing families like mine that we are supported, valued, and cared for.”
The CHA manages about 21,000 public housing units and administers roughly 51,000 Housing Choice Vouchers across Chicago. Families participating in both programs were eligible to attend the event.
Operation Warm has grown steadily since its first year. The 19th edition maintained its focus on combining material support with service connections that address broader family needs, from energy costs to job placement.
The event comes during a period of heightened activity for the CHA. Earlier this month, the agency cut the ribbon on Parkside Phase 5, bringing 99 new mixed-income homes to the former Cabrini-Green site. It also celebrated the 1,000th homeowner through its Choose To Own program and accepted a $2.3 million federal grant to launch a Jobs Plus employment initiative at Wentworth Gardens.
Last week, the CHA participated in a groundbreaking for the LeClaire Courts mixed-use redevelopment on the city’s Southwest Side, a multiphase project expected to deliver up to 700 residential units.
Families who missed Saturday’s event and need winter clothing assistance can contact the CHA or visit thecha.org for information about additional resources.
