While we are still giving away coats and winter gear nearly every day, between Nov. 7 and Nov. 22, we were able to distribute close to 800 coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and socks to Afghan neighbors in the OKC metro area. Very generous interfaith and community partners gave money, items, and time to make all this happen.

We still need a few coats and accessories – please help us reach our goal! Check out our Amazon Winter Gear List for Immediate Needs.

Special thanks to our partners and volunteers!

  • 28 unique individual volunteers prepped items and the U-Haul truck for delivery, serving 130 hours.
  • 64 unique individual volunteers distributed coats and winter gear at 6 large apartment complexes and to individual homes, serving 124 hours
  • 92 volunteers served 254 hours over the course of 3 weeks, a value of $6,350 — but for CAIR, the value is priceless!

2022 CAIR Oklahoma Winter Drive for Our Afghan Neighbors

We are partnering with Operation Warm to provide coats (sizes 2T-XXL) by mid-November 2022 for 1007 Afghan neighbors and an additional 36 children who have resettled in OKC. Operation Warm, a 501(c)3 offering resources that underserved communities need to thrive, has provided items at cost for over 20 years and have served over 4.6 million kids in the United States and Canada through partnerships with organizations including Islamic Relief USA, The Salvation Army, Coats For Kids, New York City Community Schools, and Chicago Housing Authority.

Deliveries occur in the first two full weeks of November (weeks of 11/7 and 11/14). Volunteers and staff from CAIR and partner organizations will assist with distribution directly to Afghan neighbors.

Donate to Support The Winter Gear Drive

All funds received through this campaign will go to directly support Afghan neighbors.

A winter gear accessory set (hat, scarf, pair of gloves/mittens, and pair of warm socks) costs approximately $15-$20 per person. We are looking for corporate sponsors and retailers interested in making donations, creating match programs, and helping to purchase items at cost.

DONATE

Between September 2021 and February 2022, Oklahoma City welcomed 1007 new Afghan neighbors who had fled Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul in August 2021. Many worked with the United States military or aid agencies or other human rights NGOs; others are religious or ethnic minorities under special threat from the Taliban. Of these new neighbors, about 600 are children under the age of 18. This community fled their homes, some with only the clothes on their backs. While many of the households have employment, they are building their savings and have limited income to purchase quality items for their large families. In addition, most newcomers don’t have access to safe and reliable transportation and are relying on walking, riding bikes, or buses to get to work and school. As they prepare for another full winter season, many do not have the proper winter gear for the strong Oklahoma winds and cold weather.

CAIR-OK is providing new warm winter gear (coats, boots, socks, hats, scarves, and gloves/mittens) for all 1007 Afghan neighbors who have resettled in Oklahoma City since Sept. 2021 as well as 36 additional school-age children from around the world who have resettled in the OKC metro area as refugees. We would love support from across the community to show all our Afghan neighbors that they are welcome in Oklahoma, and we want to help them be successful and safe as they rebuild their lives in the city we all call home.

Here’s how you can help!

  • Make a financial donation https://cairoklahoma-bloom.kindful.com/?campaign=1166983
  • Purchase Winter Gear Accessories from our Amazon wish lists. If you purchase new winter accessories from another vendor, please email Jen Hund (jhund@cair.com) to coordinate a donation drop-off at our Resource Center.
  • Amazon wish lists
  • Volunteer to help inventory, sort, organize, and deliver these donations. To help in our Resource Center with sorting, sign up here. To help with delivery, sign up here.
  • Connect CAIR with a corporate sponsor or retailer who is interested in participating in this community-wide effort. Contact Jen Hund (jhund@cair.com) to share more information.