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Operation Warm It Forward Nelson, Schroeder work together to provide coats for the community

By KELBY WINGERT

kwingert@messengernews.net

During harsh Iowa winters, a warm winter coat is a necessity.

However, not everyone has a cozy parka to keep out the icy air. For those who don’t have something to keep them warm during the winter, a couple of Fort Dodge community members bring the warmth to downtown Fort Dodge.

Operation Warm It Forward was started in 2017 by Linette Nelson and Troy Schroeder, of Fort Dodge. Nelson learned of another city that was doing a community coat drive and leaving coats on street poles around town for those in need to pick up at their convenience.

“Knowing Troy and his connection with the community and having a location right downtown, where it would be easy for people to see and to take part of, I connected with him to see if he wanted to partner up,” Nelson said.

Since then, every winter, the duo set up a coat rack outside of Schroeder’s Memories in Focus studio at 521 Central Ave. The coat rack stays outside 24/7 during the winter and anyone is invited to come up to take what they need.

With the coat rack sitting outside all the time, Schroeder just trusts that people taking the coats and warm clothing need them and their situation is no one’s business.

“Who am I to decide what they need?” Schroeder asked.

Schroeder’s downtown photography studio made sense for a headquarters for the coat rack, Nelson said.

“If you go downtown a lot of times, you can see a lot of people out walking,” she said. “We really wanted to put it down there and really be able to help people where there was an identified need. We definitely know that being in Fort Dodge and just going out and about, you can see people are out in the cold without the correct winter wear on, and coats are not cheap.”

Nelson estimates that the coat rack has seen “well over 1,500” coats pass through it over the last couple years.

In addition to the coat rack, Operation Warm It Forward has a box for gloves, scarves and hats to be donated and available for those in need.

Having the coat rack outside and in downtown makes the coats accessible and the act of taking one anonymous, Nelson said. Some may feel they have barriers to other coats programs from other agencies and organizations in the community, like having to meet specific income requirements, or just feeling embarrassed to ask for a coat. Having this anonymous coat rack takes away those barriers.

Schroeder said that even though no one is required to see him or say anything when they take a coat, sometimes a person will stop in the studio to say thanks and chat with Schroeder. Sometimes they’ll tell him their stories about how they got to where they are and why they’re struggling, and Schroeder will try to steer them toward more community resources and organizations that can help.

In past years, when the project has had a surplus of coats, they’ve expanded to add other coat rack locations around town. The project even has its own Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/ operationwarmitforard, for updates and calls for donations.

“Fort Dodge has an outstanding way of helping people,” Schroeder said. “I’m pretty proud of Fort Dodge.”

Fort dodge

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert

TROY SCHROEDER, along with Linette Nelson, started Operation Warm It Forward about three years ago. The project is aimed at providing coats and warm clothing to Fort Dodge residents in need. There’s a coat rack that sits outside Schroeder’s studio at 521 Central Ave. during the winter, where anyone can take a coat or leave a coat whenever they want.

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