Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Healthy Blue Louisiana Volunteers Give More Than 1,000 New Coats to North Louisiana Children Through Operation Warm Events

SHREVEPORT, La. – The smiles were warmer and brighter than the coats children at three North Louisiana schools picked out for the coming winter months during annual events that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and Healthy Blue Louisiana sponsored this fall. 

Volunteers from both organizations handed out brand-new coats to more than 1,000 children in partnership with Operation Warm, a national nonprofit dedicated to providing warmth, confidence and hope for children in need. Coat giveaway events took place at Midway Professional Development Elementary in Shreveport, Waller Elementary School in Bossier City, and Winnsboro Elementary School in Winnsboro. 

See footage and stories from children, school faculty and volunteers sharing what giving and getting new coats means to them in this video (5:54). 

“Our Blue Cross and Healthy Blue Louisiana volunteers look forward to the Operation Warm events each year because of how much joy they bring for everyone involved,” said Michael Tipton, president of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation and head of Community Relations. “We have fun helping the children try on and pick out their own brand-new coats. For many of their families, buying new winter gear each year is a big financial burden. Most of the children who come to these events have only had secondhand or hand-me-down clothes. It makes them so happy and proud to be able to choose something just for them, and we love being part of that experience.” 

"Healthy Blue has stayed committed to supporting and uplifting our state's most vulnerable residents, especially our children, and our sponsorship of Operation Warm is yet another demonstration of how we live our purpose," said Dr. Christy Valentine Theard, president of Healthy Blue Louisiana. "This sponsorship also holds a lot of meaning for our Healthy Blue associates and volunteers. We are parents, community members and fierce supporters of children who are in need, so this effort is personal and brings us as much warmth as the coats will bring to the children this winter."

Follow Blue Cross on social media @BCBSLA to see more photos and videos from the Operation Warm events and other volunteer activities. Blue Cross posts regularly on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok. Visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana YouTube channel to see short videos on health and wellness topics. Subscribe to know when new videos are added.

About Operation Warm:
Operation Warm is a national nonprofit that manufactures brand-new, high-quality coats for children in need. We partner with compassionate individuals, community organizations, and corporations across North America to provide emotional warmth, confidence to socialize and succeed, and hope of a brighter future through the gift of a brand-new coat.  Over the last 20 years, Operation Warm and our partners have used the coat as a bridge for families in need to access everything from flu shots to new books. To make a lasting impact on the lives of children, visit www.operationwarm.org.