Every winter, there are dozens of children in Carbon County who don’t have the proper coats to keep them safe and warm during freezing temperatures.

An area business owner is hoping to change that.Mitch Schaffer, owner of Mobile Edge in Lehighton, is holding the eighth annual Coats for Kids collection at his store, located at 52 Blakeslee Boulevard, Drive East.The drive is currently running through Dec. 31 and will again partner with Care Net of Carbon County, which will distribute the gently used coats collected to local children in need.Schaffer said that people who bring in a new or gently used children’s winter coat will receive a discount on a remote car starter.“At Mobile Edge, we sell and install hundreds of remote car starters every year,” Schaffer said. “The Coats for Kids program is a perfect tie-in with that. Clients who want a remote starter are obviously concerned about comfort and warmth. If they bring us a new or gently used child’s coat, we give them a discount on a remote starter. They save money, we gain a client and a child stays warm.”Other winter necessities for children and adults will also be accepted, including adult coats, hats, gloves and mittens and scarves, but discounts will only be for children’s coats.Since the collection started in 2009, Mobile Edge has collected over 2,000 of coats that were distributed through local charities and churches.For more information on the Coats for Kids program or to drop off a coat, call Mobile Edge at 610-377-2730, email

info@mobileedgeonline.com or visit the store during business hours.