Koats for Kids

We are dedicated to providing underserved children with winter coats and implementing songwriting programs for system-impacted youth.

For 14 years, Koats for Kids has united the community through coat collections and annual concerts featuring local cultural bearers. It's more than coats; it's about fostering togetherness, as our late co-host, Mr. Ellis Marsalis, emphasized. We have made a significant impact with over 3,600 coats collected and numerous local cultural bearers hired. Since achieving nonprofit status last year, our mission has expanded:We are dedicated to providing underserved children with winter coats and implementing songwriting programs for system-impacted youth. Our second initiative, songwriting workshops for system-impacted youth, has been a great success in promoting restorative character development and facilitating their successful transition into society. By leveraging cultural heritage, we aim to enhance our community's equity, diversity, beauty, and safety. Through this program, young participants learned to express themselves, self-regulate, empathize with others, and build self-esteem by composing songs in their preferred genres. We are so happy to be able to serve the youth and make New Orleans a better place.