WASHINGTON — Tatiana Sweeney stood in the cold outside Bin 1301 Wine Bar on U Street in front of tables piled high with coats for the Annual Warming Hearts Coat Drive.
Now in its eighth year, the event began when her son was just 10-years-old. “I went inside the store and when I came out, my son didn’t have a coat on,” said Sweeney.
Her son had given his coat to a classmate who walked by without one.
“Through casual conversation, he ended up disclosing that his family couldn’t afford coats this year,” said Sweeney.
Her son is now off to college, but Sweeney’s two younger sons and some high school students have taken time to help continue what he sparked: making sure families in need stay warm.
Her 14-year-old son, Jayden, says it’s about continuing what his brother started and having a positive impact on the community.
“It makes me feel good that I know people are going to be warm,” said Sweeney.
Kyres Dawson is a high school student also volunteering to help collect and hand out coats. “It just really shows me how fortunate I am and how I can help other people out because it’s too cold to be out here without a jacket,” said Dawson.
