Chester County children will receive 144 new winter coats after Doylestown-based Fred Beans Automotive Group delivered them to YMCA of Greater Brandywine locations in the county.
The donation is part of the annual Driving Away the Cold program, first reported by the Daily Local. The Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation organizes the program in partnership with local dealerships, including Fred Beans Ford of West Chester.
Across Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties, Fred Beans donated 864 coats in all. Chester County's 144 went to the YMCA of Greater Brandywine. Another 96 went to the North Penn School District Educational Foundation in Montgomery County. The largest share, 624 coats, went to McDonald Elementary in the Centennial School District and Bensalem School District in Bucks County.
Beth Beans Gilbert, vice president of Fred Beans Automotive Group, said the company has participated every year since the program began. "We have participated in this coat drive every year, because every child should have a new, warm coat, and we want to make that happen in the areas we serve," Gilbert said in a statement.
She added that team members often volunteer to help deliver and unpack the coats at distribution sites.
Fred Beans has taken part in Driving Away the Cold since its 2008 launch. The company said in a press release that it has donated "tens of thousands" of coats to area children since then.
The program challenges dealerships to pledge a new coat for every car sold in September. About 180 dealers across the Greater Philadelphia region participated in 2026, according to the Daily Local. The initiative started in 2008 with a simple goal: give children in the five-county Philadelphia area a new winter coat. Since then, more than 725,000 coats have been distributed through roughly 100 social service agencies, YMCAs, shelters and school districts, according to the Driving Away the Cold website.
Residents who want to support the program can text "Coat" to 44321 or visit ADAGP.com.
