Coat Angel!

During the pandemic, Cynthia Jacob of Coventry, Rhode Island, noticed that kids were struggling in winter because their families couldn't afford new coats or other winter gear.

So back then, Cynthia began to knit hats and scarves for kids -- and took things a step further when she purchased 44 coats for those in need.

Since then, she has expanded her efforts. She started accepting donations and has been able to donate more and more coats through the years. She's in her third year -- and currently has 590 coats to give away.

The coats, which are labeled by size and gender, have been packed in dozens of boxes that are stacked neatly in her garage. The coats used to be in every room of her house, but her husband built shelving units to help her keep things organized.

Cynthia said she is very appreciative of each donation, whether it's $5 or a box full of new coats. She admits this project takes up a lot of her time, but says it's very rewarding.

"Someone calls me the coat angel," said Cynthia. "I think sometimes people think, 'Oh, it’s a coat, or it’s only a couple coats' but they are really having an impact in someone else’s life."