More than 1,100 coats and warm items donated to homeless education program

Give a Kid a Coat, a partnership between Carla Harrell, owner of The Rhinestone Artist, and Sir Earl Toon, from the world renowned band Kool amp; the Gang, donated 1,160 coats, plus sweaters and hats, to homeless students in Dallas ISD over the weekend.

Every year since 2012, Toon and Harrell has hosted their Give a Kid a Coat event before the holidays.

This wonderful event was inspired by Harrell seeing a young girl walking to school in the cold without a coat on. Harrell contacted Toon and together they visited the school where the student attended. They then learned just how many students at the school needed coats, and they decided to start Give a Kid a Coat to do something about it.

That year they sponsored a coat drive for the whole school. Each year since, Give a Kid a Coat has collected winter coats and accessories for local children in need.

Give a Kid a Coat dispersed more than 5,000 new winter coats from 2012-2015.

"We are very thankful for the generous donation that has a significant positive impact on our kids," said Mark Pierce, manager of the Dallas ISD Homeless Education Program. "What makes this special is that these are people who saw a need and stepped up to make a difference in these kids' lives."