By Mike Kinney
Local children in need received 130 new warm winter coats at a giveaway event on Saturday at the Bay Area Girls Club at 260 Broadway in Richmond.
The event was organized by Richmond minister and motivational speaker Audra ‘Golddie’ Williams, who worked on the effort in conjunction with 2nd Chance 4 Kids Inc., an Oakland-based organization dedicated to providing homeless and underprivileged children with clothing, school supplies, mentoring services and other necessities.
Families waited in line in their cars for the curbside giveaway event. Williams, a board member for the Bay Area Girls Club, said seeing the smiles of kids and their families receiving their brand new coats was “fulfilling.”
“COVID-19 has hit many families hard,” Williams said.
One parent Imelda Rosillo noted the giveaway was a “great help for our children during these times.”
“God bless you all,” she said.
Williams said drives like this greatly helped her family in the past.
“For many years I was standing in Christmas giveaway lines with my children because we needed the support,” she said. “Many of those opportunities are gone now, and we counted on them every year.”
Williams said she hopes to announce another coat giveaway in December. She stated that she currently has 300 backpacks for children.
“I want to get donations and partners from the community, to fill up these backpacks with gloves, hats, scarves, coloring books and crayons,” she said.
