For more than 24 years, FWDG has been sponsoring a coat drive to help those less fortunate in the community.

“Robyn and I are always amazed at the outpouring of support from the local communities.

Collecting outerwear for the FWDG Coat Drive has become a way of life for many people of the Lowcountry, said Larry Mark, owner.

“My favorite quote from a donor goes back many years: ‘I love donating my coat because it makes me feel better when I buy a new one!’ This year with the Stitches of Love group participating I think the Coat Drive will be even more rewarding.”

The idea for the first FWDG coat drive came about when owners Robyn and Larry wanted to find a way to contribute to the local community. They wanted something that would be sustained  for a long period of time.

The coat drive has been a resounding success. Schools, churches and other organizations have also participated in the drive. When it first started in 1990, FWDG collected over 300 coats. In recent years, it has averaged  over 1,500 coats, even reaching 3,000 at one point.

This year, a new twist has been added to the coat drive: an organization named Stitches of Love has contacted FWDG and wishes to create some caps to keep children’s heads warm during the winter months. The FWDG Coat Drive is one of the select few projects of the group that will be focused on one geographical area, Beaufort County. The goal is to create 200 hats during the Coat Drive to be distributed.

The coat drive started on November 1 and ends on December 31.

Each year, FWDG has requests from numerous businesses wishing to be a drop-off point, both in Northern and Southern Beaufort County. This year, FWDG at 745 Robert Smalls Parkway, Carolina Stamper at 203 Carteret Street, and Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners, 1211 Boundary St.,  will be drop-off points in  Northern Beaufort County. Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners, 29 Plantation Park Dr., Suite 106, Bluffton,  will be drop-off points for South of the Broad.

For more information, please contact Larry Mark at 843-524-8695 or lmark@fwdgonline.com.

FWDG has provided the Lowcountry with great value, service and selections of furniture for more than 40 years. FWDG makes shopping for furniture easy, fun and affordable. They provide customers with a wide selection of furniture and flexible financing options. For more information, visit fwdgonline.com.