Subaru Drive - Subaru Loves to Help® Bringing Warmth, Confidence and Hope to Kids in Need

Helping others is the key to a strong community, which is why Subaru remains committed to supporting individuals and families in urgent need.

Throughout February, during Subaru Loves to Help month, Subaru and its retailers partnered with Operation Warm, a national nonprofit focused on connecting children with the resources they need to thrive. This first-year partnership amplified Subaru’s continued support for those who need it most.

Working together with Operation Warm, Subaru retailers visited homeless shelters and support agencies in their local community and provided more than 150,000 children with brand-new necessities like coats, shoes, and socks.

Children attended the Subaru Loves to Help Gifting Event with their families and were able to choose their own coat and shoes in a retail-like environment. The coats and shoes were available in multiple colors and styles, allowing the children to pick the jacket or shoes that resonated with them the most.

At a typical gifting event, kid-sized coats are folded on tables in nine different styles and colors, ready for Subaru volunteers to help the child find the perfect size that fits them the best. Kids are also sized for a brand-new pair of sneakers in six different colors and often smile as they receive the clothing – and even hugs – from Subaru Loves to Help volunteers.

Close-up of a pair of blue Operation Warm sneakers

Several blue boxes stacked on top of each other that say Subaru and Operation Warm in white lettering

Meet Subaru Partner Operation Warm

Operation Warm, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that manufactures new, high-quality coats and shoes for children in need, and its partners have helped more than 5 million children since its formation in 1998.

“Our mission is to provide children in underserved communities the gift of warmth, confidence and hope,” says Grace Sica, Executive Director for Operation Warm.

Subaru is the largest automotive supporter of Operation Warm. “Being able to team up with Subaru and having 600-plus Subaru retailers across the country who want to activate within miles of their retail store really makes a difference in those communities for the children who need it the most, when they need it the most,” says Sica.

A Commitment to Making a Difference

Imagine having to go without a coat, shoes, or even socks. For millions of children and adults experiencing homelessness and other urgent need situations, this can be a harsh reality. These essential items not only help keep children protected, warm, and dry, they can have a significant impact on a child's mental and emotional well-being.

“For too many children, going without a coat, shoes, or even socks can mean the difference between going to school, participating in activities, and feeling confident in themselves,” says Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Subaru of America.

“By pairing our own commitment to be ‘More Than a Car Company^®’ with Operation Warm’s mission of being ‘More Than a Coat^®,’ we’re providing children in urgent need with the opportunity to select and own the brand-new necessities they deserve,” says Bethke.

A mother and Subaru Loves to Help volunteer are putting a pink coat on a young child. The child is smiling as are the mother and volunteer.

Other Subaru Loves to Help Partners and Recipients

As part of the Subaru Love Promise^®initiative, Subaru Loves to Help has supported many other partners, including Meals on Wheels^®, the American Red Cross and Feeding America^®, where Subaru has donated 150 million meals across 199 food banks nationwide since 2020. Subaru and its retailers have also provided more than 500,000 pairs of new socks and 100,000 warm blankets to shelters across the country.