Matthew J. Fitton was a son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend to everyone he met. Those who knew him say his greatest quality was his heart and the love and friendship that he shared with others. Matt died in 2003 at age 20 as the result of a car accident.
Matt’s Coats for Kids is an organization started by Matt’s family and friends. Its goal is to keep the good feelings that Matt shared by helping people. Since 2004, Matt’s Coats for Kids has collected and distributed over 10,321 coats donated by area communities for those in need.
In 2016, the effort expanded to honor Giana Bartolucci and has collected and distributed over 643 pairs of new mittens and gloves.
The organization began collecting new socks in 2017 in memory of Everett Bauch, Matt’s grandfather. To date, 625 pairs have been collected and donated to the area’s homeless. Since Matt’s grandmother, Eleanor B. Bauch, died in June 2021, socks will now be collected in memory of both grandparents who supported the organization’s efforts for many years.
Donations of new and gently used coats, new mittens, gloves, and hats, and new socks will be collected through November 16 at various locations throughout the area, including:
ADAMS BASIN
•Adams Basin Methodist Church, 4292 Canal Road
BROCKPORT
•Brockport First Baptist Church, 124 Main Street,
•Brockport United Methodist Church, 92 Main Street
•Christ Community Church, 36 Coleman Creek Road
•ESL Federal Credit Union, Brockport Branch, 6670 Fourth Section Road
•First Presbyterian Church, 35 State Street
•Free Methodist Church of Brockport, 6787 Fourth Section Road
•Grace Baptist Church, 5220 Lake Road South
•GRINDS 122 Café, 122 West Avenue
•Howard Hanna Brockport, 9 Main Street
•Seymour Library, 161 East Avenue
•Sweden Clarkson Recreation Center, 4927 Lake Road South
•Village of Brockport, 127 Main Street
CHURCHVILLE
•Legacy at Parklands, 2000 Park Creek Lane
CLARKSON
•Christ Church of Clarkson, 8339 West Ridge Road
•Town of Clarkson, 3710 Lake Road
GREECE
•Howard Hanna Greece, 2833 West Ridge Road, Suite 3
•Legacy at Maiden Park, 749 Maiden Lane
•Legacy at Park Crescent, 1000 Providence Circle
•Town of Greece, 1 Vince Tofany Boulevard
HAMLIN
•Hamlin Public Library, 1680 Lake Road
•St. John Lutheran Church, 1107 Lake Road
•Tops, 1800 Lake Road
HILTON
•St. Paul Lutheran Church, 158 East Avenue
KENDALL
•Town of Kendall, 1873 Kendall Road
MORTON
•Country Mouse Preschool, 1152 County Line Road
SPENCERPORT
•Howard Hanna Spencerport, 421 South Union Street
•Trinity Lutheran Church of Spencerport, 191 Nichols Street
Financial donations are also appreciated. Contact Karen Leidig at 585-721-5289 or mattscoatsforkids@gmail.com for information.
Donated items will be distributed for free to those in need on November 19 and 20 at Brockport Fire Department Company # 3, 190 West Avenue, Brockport.
Provided information
