ZAGG donates 450 coats to those in need at CCS

Intermountain Catholic

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Catholic Community Services Saint Vincent de Paul Center employees on the right side of the table help the homeless and working poor find a new or gently used coat they like that will fit them. Next year ZAGG would like to have larger sizes such as 2X and 3X sizes donated if possible. The woman pictured works in the kitchen at the Saint Vincent de Paul Center. She too, is in need of a coat. The people receiving the coats were excited to finally have a warm coat to wear.IC photo by Christine Young

SALT LAKE CITY — Snow was falling as was the temperature as Utah-based ZAGG, Inc., presented more than 450 new and used coats to those in need at Catholic Community Services (CCS) St. Vincent de Paul Center Feb. 11.

"It is cold out here," said Brian Packer, ZAGG vice president of marketing. "The people who are coming through here for a coat are truly homeless. For them a coat is a difference between life and death. We get to go back to our warm offices and warm homes. It makes you really appreciate what you have. We have our warm coats. We are just so humbled and so grateful for the opportunity to be helping these people. It is heartwarming.

ZAGG Inc., is the maker of the invisibleSHIELD product and ZAGGaudio.

The coats were gathered by ZAGG through a program that began Dec. 13, with the first ever "Stuff the Bus Coat Drive" on the Energy Solutions Arena Plaza. On Dec. 13, Jan. 20, and Jan. 27, the ZAGG black and yellow bus served as a drop-off point for the coats.

"We were looking for something we could do to give back this year," said Packer. "Our company has been very blessed. We have done very well, and we wanted to give back especially in a community that has been very good to us. Our headquarters are in Salt Lake City, so we actually manufacture and sell right here.

"We brainstormed, and decided and a coat drive would be a good thing we could do," said Packer. "ZAGG produces protective clear coverings and accessories for consumer electronic and handheld devices. We protect and cover gadgets with the invisibleSHIELD. That is our main product line, so we thought it would be kind of a good tie in to protect and cover the homeless people of Salt Lake.

"In coming up with that, we were given the idea to partner with Catholic Community Services because they are the ones who protect the homeless people more than anyone else in this area," said Packer. "They are a great partner for the homeless, the refugees, and the immigrants who come into this area needing help.

"We got really excited about that, were able to get together with Catholic Community Services," said Packer. "We then had some great assistance from the Utah Jazz. They let us park our bus in front of the Energy Solutions Arena. We would give away a $25 valued gift card from ZAGG for every new or gently used coat that was donated. We were trying to help insight more giving by doing that."

Packer said they also parked their bus at Brighton Ski Resort, and at the Fashion Place Mall. We also collected coats at our corporate offices, through Girl Scout troops, Boy Scout troops, and local churches.

"We also had employees asking family members and friends for coats as well as searching their own closets," said Packer. "Through all that we were able to gather hundreds of coats. We were excited and feel this was awesome. We feel this was really successful for our first year.

"As full as the bus was this year with at least 450 coats, we know we could easily double that next year and really stuff this bus," said Packer. "Next year we really want to stuff the bus where there is just no more room for any more coats. Our goal is to keep this drive going, and partner again with Catholic Community Services. Given the way the economy is, there will be even that many more people who will be in need of a warm coat."

Catholic Community Services of Utah Director of Emergency Services Jose Lazaro said, "We joined with the great company ZAGG, and they have done a wonderful coat drive for us. It could not have been a better day for this. It is probably hovering around 30 degrees today.

"Many of the individuals we serve struggle with homelessness," said Lazaro. " When you are homeless and on the streets, the majority of your time your is spent in lines outside for meal service and to get into our day shelter. One of the things many of us take for granted is our coat. But many of these individuals do not have a coat, and standing outside, or living outside they are really in trouble. When you are on the streets, half the battle is just staying warm during these cold winter months.

"So for ZAGG to take their time and their resources to collect these coats and come down here and pass them out is a win-win situation for everyone," said Lazaro.

"Not only do we serve the homeless people, we also serve individuals who are struggling to pay their rent," said Lazaro. "We have other programs here that are specifically geared to keep people in their homes. We have what is called the Emergency Assistance Program. We offer emergency food boxes, utility assistance, and some rental assistance. What we try to do is keep people in their homes."

Lazaro said if a family only has enough money to pay their rent, CCS will pay their rent. CCS will also help fill some of those other voids such as help pay a family’s utilities and send them home with a supplemental food box, clothes for the children, household items, or whatever CCS can do to help keep a family in their home.

"Our food service at the St. Vincent de Paul Center is open to anyone," said Lazaro. "Even though we are a Catholic organization, we do not ask any questions. We offer a hot meal service six days a week. We let anyone in. Actually prior to the Olympics when they were building the Gateway Mall, we had some of the construction workers come in and eat our meals, but no questions were asked because our meal service is open to anyone. The only basic rules we have is that you respect everyone else in the lunch room. Respect goes for all our services.

"The volunteers are the backbone of the St. Vincent de Paul Resource Center," said Lazaro. "I have such a limited staff, and if it were not for the volunteers coming in day-in and day-out the center could not run. A lot of our local parishes, some of the LDS wards, and local businesses, come and volunteer on a regular basis. If it were not for them, we would not exist."

"With the state of our current economy, we know there is a greater need to help people stay warm this winter," said ZAGG Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Robert G. Pederson, II. "This was a real community effort to get these donations, and we are extremely pleased that we were able to help Catholic Community Services of Utah in its ongoing quest to help those who continue to struggle."