This year, thousands of Johnson County families are struggling to survive in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
They are having difficulty buying food, paying bills and purchasing other essential items. With colder weather approaching, that means warm coats.
But the United Way of Johnson County and an army of supporters want to make sure that local children do not have to bear the brunt of winter unprepared through Operation Bundle Up. The annual distribution will go on this year, albeit in a new format adjusted to accommodate pandemic-related precautions.
For the first time, families will need to register to take part in the distribution. They will be assigned a designated time to pick up their items through a no-contact process.
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That is a departure from previous years, when people gathered at a local church to “shop” for coats, gloves, scarves and other apparel.
"We wanted to provide Operation Bundle Up assistance in a very safe format," said Nancy Lohr Plake, executive director for the United Way of Johnson County. "Typically, it’s a very hands-on process. We felt that during the pandemic, we couldn’t do a hands-on event like we have in the past."
Operation Bundle Up is an annual helping program that gives coats and other winter gear to needy families in the county. Hundreds of coats are distributed annually as part of the program. Last year, the agency served 178 families at the event, including more than 400 people.
In past years, nearly 1,000 coats have been given out to local children and families who need them.
For 2020, the need is expected to be even greater, Plake said.
"We do know that the pandemic has greatly affected our community, and we know people are going to be struggling this year," she said. "For some families, getting a coat for their children will be difficult this year.
"This way, they can take the money they’d use on a coat for food or utilities or rent."
To make Operation Bundle Up a possibility this year, the United Way lined up a group of donors, who stepped forward immediately to help, Plake said.
Meijer offered to provide the coats and other items. Organizations such as the Johnson County Community Foundation, Metro Ministries, Horizon Bank and Franklin Rotary donated to the cause, as did churches such as Edinburgh United Methodist Church, Grace United Methodist Church, HeavenEarth Church, Honey Creek Church and Smith Valley United Methodist Church. Walter and Janette Koon also provided support.
"No one said no. Many sponsors said we have to figure this out because it’s so important to our community," Plake said.
Online registration for this year’s Operation Bundle Up starts at 9 a.m. today. There are a limited number of openings, and online registration will close once that number is reached, Plake said.
People can go to the United Way of Johnson County’s website and fill out a form to sign up. They will receive an email confirmation allowing them to select a date and time for pick up.
Participants must be Johnson County residents, and assistance is limited to children from infants to age 17.
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Operation Bundle Up
What: An annual helping program that gives coats and other winter gear to needy families in the county.
Who is eligible: Assistance is available to families who are Johnson County residents with children, from infants up to age 17.
How to register: Go to www.uwjc.org/operation-bundle to sign up. Registration starts at 9 a.m. today.
How to get your assistance: Participants will receive an email confirmation once they register to choose a date and time to pick up the items. Once that information is chosen, detailed instructions will be sent on how to obtain the assistance.
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