Free mittens and hats available at Community Action

National Grid, Tompkins Community Bank kick off new service with donations

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Community Action of Orleans & Genesee has announced a new service – free hats and mittens to those in need. Here, CAOG’s executive director Renee Hungerford, Main Street Thrift Store manager Cassie Healy and case manager Jeanette Worsley fill a box in front of the store with hats and mittens, free for the taking.

ALBION – Community Action of Orleans & Genesee announced a new service to the community – free hats and mittens to anyone who needs them.

The idea came from Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action, who mentioned it to Jackie Dunham, director of operations.

“I said, ‘We’ve got to make that happen,’” Dunham said.

Hungerford spoke with facilities manager Rick Standish, who indicated he could build a suitable box to hold a supply of hats and mittens. Within a few days, he had completed two boxes, one in front of the Main Street store, and the other behind Community Action’s headquarters on State Street, with the agency’s mini food pantry.

While discussing the new project with Patrick Weissend, manager of Tompkins Community Bank, he asked if Hungerford would like him to run a mitten drive for them. Within two weeks, he had a huge box collected.

“We expect to get people from the new warming center, who will need hats and mittens to keep warm,” Hungerford said.

Another box full of mittens was donated by National Grid.

“There definitely is a need, not just for food, but for warm clothing,” said Jeanette Worsley, case manager at Community Action.

Hungerford said having the boxes available to the public assures those in need can access them any time.

“Obviously, we can’t have staff available 24/7,” she said. “This way, warm hats and mittens are available all the time.”

The public or any organization who would like to make donations of hats and mittens for all ages can drop them off any time in one of the boxes or bring them to the office during business hours or the Main Street Corner Thrifts, Gifts and More from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday or from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.