MANHATTAN — Dozens of pinstripe and pigskin fans rushed to Times Square Wednesday morning to turn in their old winter coats in exchange for a pair of tickets to see Yankee Stadium's first college football game of the season.
Lindsey Critelli, 34, of Hoboken, traveled for almost an hour with her 1-year-old son to the Hard Rock Cafe on Broadway to make a donation — and snag tickets for the Army vs. Rutgers game this Saturday.
“My husband is a big Rutgers and Yankees fan. So we figured, donate a coat and get some tickets to the game on Saturday? It’s a win-win,” said Critelli. “Just to keep someone warm in the winter.”
Brian Smith, Yankees senior vice president for corporate and community relations, said that the team would provide 2,500 tickets to the first 1,250 people who donate gently used coats.
“We’re holding a coat drive to help families in need during winter months and make sure everybody is warm in the upcoming winter," he said.
“I’m happy to score free tickets, but it’s nice to give back to the community,” said Derek Chu, who lives and works in Manhattan. “With the economy the way it is, it’s nice to give something but also get something back in exchange."
The event was co-hosted by the Yankees and New York Cares.
For the last 23 years, New York Cares has collected used winter coats each holiday season and distributed them to people in need. Last year, the group gave coats to 58,000 individuals.
This year the organization hopes to collect 100,000 coats for needy people from November through the end of the year.
Individuals who need a coat can get a voucher by emailing info@newyorkcares.org or calling 212-402-1173.
Those who wish to donate coats can drop them off at a New York City police precinct or commuter hubs such as Grand Central Station. A complete map of collection sites can be found on the organization’s website.
