Nina Salazar tells me she could not get an exact count on the number of garments donated for distribution on Sunday because a bunch of coats were given away before she and volunteers had the chance to tag them, but, she says,
there were well over 200 items.
Her idea was to create an easy, no stigma opportunity for those in need of jackets, scarves, gloves, hand warmers, and hats to get those things.
She set up a folding table in front of City Hall where people 
could drop off their donations and volunteers — including youth from Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts — could tie tags to the garments. From there, volunteers would take the scarves and coats, with gloves and hand warmers stuffed inside, and attach them to posts and fences along Main Street, in Bushnell Park, Barnard Park, and other locations in Downtown Hartford.
Barnard Park’s supply of men’s and women’s clothing needed to be replenished almost immediately. Children’s items were brought to Bushnell Park. Some clothes were taken directly to one of the shelters in Hartford.
The ease of the operation surprised Salazar, who sounded hopeful about doing this again, possibly with more than one collection site.
