Two Beauregard Parish women want to make sure no one in their community goes cold this winter, as they pass out free coats to anyone without today at the DeRidder Walmart parking lot.

DeLaina Craft and Kaylee Peters say they first got the inspiration to hand out jackets to those in need from Craft’s grandmother, who was handing out coats in the Lake Charles area with great success. On Friday, Craft said she and Peters raided their own closets and local thrift stores for as many coats as they could find. Together, they took the coats to the DeRidder Walmart to pass out to anyone they saw without one.

Craft said the need they saw first-hand then was overwhelming.

“We learned that day that the need in this community is very real; there were so many people who didn’t have jackets and who didn’t realize that free really means free. They didn’t realize that their background, culture, or condition doesn’t matter,” Craft stated.

The women passed out over 20 coats on Friday, and Craft said that they knew that day that they needed to return.

Over the weekend, the women took in donations from their Rosepine church family and their community, and they will be continuing to accept donations today as they work to keep people warm while also showing them hope and love.

“That’s really what this is all about — loving one another and giving to those in need,” Craft stated. “We are just hoping to spread the message of God’s love and his commandment to love one another. It’s not about a person’s financial status or social status, it’s about taking care of each other.”