Area organization collecting 300 coats in 30 days for area kids in need

_{TULSA -- The countdown is on and a local organization needs your help giving children in need a warm coat this winter. Gracious Tree, founded by an area high school coach, is collecting 300 coats in 30 days.}

_{His persona may seem rough and tough on the field, but off the gridiron, Ryan Reed is a big softie.}

_{“Tulsa has given so much to me that I think it’s good for me to give back," Reed, founder of Gracious Tree said.}

_{Reed is a coach at Glenpool High School and has made it his goal to give area children some warmth this winter.}

_{“There’s a lot of coat drives out there and God bless them,” Reed said. “You get a lot of gently used coats. I feel like Gracious Tree gives a child a new jacket with a tag on it.”}

_{Gracious Tree supports those who are less fortunate, giving out brand new jackets -- something Reed said is huge for kids.}

_{The mission is simple, finding area schools in desperate need of winter coats. Students at Peary Elementary in Tulsa are next in line for a huge coat drop on Dec. 21.}

_{“When I was a kid, you know, we were taught to live the best lives we could live and to make other’s lives better,” Reed said.} 

_{He isn’t doing it alone either. He’s partnered with Tulsa Realty to collect 300 coats in 30 days.} 

_{“This time of year, everyone wants to give and wants to participate,” JoAnna Blackstock, a local realtor said. “I think one of our jobs as givers or community influencers is to let people know where the biggest needs are.”}

_{The hope is to provide kids with not only a coat, but a sense of security, and you can help by purchasing an item from Gracious Tree.} 

_{“Everything that’s purchased one gets matched and we can hit our 300 goal to get all these kids brand new coats for Christmas,” Blackstock said.}

_{If you’d like to help give kids warm jackets you click here.}

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