Together, Operation Warm and Subaru continue to show what’s possible when national reach meets local heart. Through the 2026 Subaru Loves to Help® program, retailers across the country came together this winter to deliver brand-new coats, shoes, and socks—creating moments of warmth, confidence, and hope for children and families.
Powered through a joint commitment to supporting children in need
With stepping up to create local impact, the program reached communities nationwide—delivering tangible support to 630+ urgent need organizations and the children and families they serve.
How the Program Comes to Life Locally
This partnership creates two-way impact: children receive essential items and a boost of confidence, while retailers and community organizations strengthen connections and support where it’s needed most.
Subaru partnered with Operation Warm for the third year in a row to bring the program to life in the communities that their retailers support on a daily basis. Each retailer was paired with an organization serving children in urgent need in their own community and hosted an on-site or drop-off gifting event that aligned to the unique needs of their organization. Children were able to select a brand-new coat and/or pair of shoes with socks, choosing colors and styles that felt true to them.
Giving children the opportunity to choose helps make the experience even more meaningful. It’s a simple but powerful way to reinforce dignity and help kids feel seen and celebrated and equal among their peers.
Impact Across the Country
This season, more than 140,000 children received brand-new essential items to help them feel supported. For kids, that gift shows up as confidence—at school, during play, and in everyday life. And the adults felt it, too: caregivers experienced relief, volunteers felt pride, and retailers strengthened relationships with the communities they serve.
In fact, the 2026 beneficiaries shared what these moments meant to them:
“It was deeply moving to receive this support from a local retailer. Knowing that a business in our own community saw the need and chose to step up filled us with gratitude and pride. The gift felt like more than coats—it felt like a shared commitment to our children and a reminder that we are not doing this work alone. Moments like this energize our team and reaffirm why community partnerships matter so much.
For the children we serve, these coats mean warmth, comfort, and dignity during the cold months ahead. They mean being able to go to school, play outside, and simply be a kid without worrying about the cold. For our organization as a whole, this gift eases a critical need, allows us to direct resources to other essential services, and strengthens our belief that when local organizations come together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families in our community.”
— 2026 Subaru Loves to Help Beneficiary
“For one little boy in foster care, a new coat made an unforgettable difference. Until then, every coat he owned had been a hand-me-down from older siblings—too big, too worn, and never truly his.
Through the 2026 Subaru Loves to Help program, he received a brand-new coat chosen just for him. When he put it on, something shifted. He stood a little taller. He smiled a little bigger. It wasn’t just warmth he received—it was confidence, dignity, and the powerful reminder that someone cared enough to give him something new.”
— 2026 Subaru Loves to Help Beneficiary
“The partnership with Subaru and Operation Warm is life changing for our kids. As a kid who grew up relying on programs like this to receive new shoes and coats once a year, I understand the profound impact it has. A new coat and pair of shoes relieves a huge financial burden on a family and builds the self esteem and self image of a child.”
— 2026 Subaru Loves to Help Beneficiary
Measuring the Impact
In addition to the stories we hear, we also collect feedback from beneficiary organizations each year. Here’s what they reported about this season’s program:
- 99% of beneficiaries said coats, shoes, and socks are among the top ten most requested items for their organization.
- 99% of beneficiaries said the gift helps ease a financial burden for the child’s caregiver.
- 98% of beneficiaries said the event created a positive community interaction.
These results reinforce what we see with every gift: providing these essentials ease stress for families, support community organizations ability to show up and support their kids, and help children feel confident and connected.
More Than a Number
While numbers help illustrate the scale of this work, the true impact is often found in the quiet moments—a child zipping up a new coat, picking out their favorite color, or realizing someone in their community showed up for them. It’s in that feeling of pride and possibility, and in the simple thought so many children share in their own way: “This was made just for me.”
Looking Ahead
We’re proud of what this partnership continues to make possible each year. The gifting moment may be just a day, but the benefits last—helping children stay warm, supporting caregivers, and strengthening the local networks that make communities thrive. We’re grateful to Subaru, its retailers, and every community organization who helps ensure more kids can step into winter with comfort, confidence, and care.
Learn More
To learn more about Subaru’s support of Operation Warm through Subaru Loves to Help, visit operationwarm.org/Subaru.
Interested in partnering with Operation Warm on a CSR campaign that creates meaningful change in your community? Visit operationwarm.org/Partner
