All morning today at Drexel Elementary School, cheer and excitement filled the gymnasium as students from all grade levels were surprised with new winter jackets, courtesy of a community partnership between Nicor Gas and Operation Warm!

For over 25 years, national nonprofit Operation Warm has manufactured brand-new coats for children in communities across the U.S., helping provide them with not just physical warmth, but emotional warmth and a sense of confidence. 

Providing children with brand-new coat during tough financial times is a challenge many families face, and through Operation Warm's local partnership with Nicor Gas, seeing children in Cicero with new coats ready for the chilly months ahead became a reality today, thanks to the hard work and generosity of the two groups!

Operation Warm operates on three simple principles: warmth, confidence and hope. And, as the region's distributor of natural gas, Nicor Gas' partnership proved that when adults work together with a goal toward helping keep children warm and proud of their outdoor attire, that the good vibes will reverberate through the community as a whole!

Thank you to Operation Warm and Nicor Gas for donating hundreds of coats this morning, and for providing some of Cicero's youngest residents with warmth and peace of mind.