Leo’s Cleaners and Sharing Connections Furniture Bank have partnered together to provide winter coats for low-income families for twenty years. The partnership began when our founder, Leeanne McGrath, approached Leo Callan, the original owner of Leo’s Cleaners in Lisle, about collecting gently-used coats for low-income families. At the time, Leeanne was supplying the needs of low-income families by storing goods in her garage and distributing them to the needy.

Leeanne recalls that, “At first, Leo was a little reluctant. He said, ‘Next year!’ The next year I asked him, and he said, ‘I’m really busy--we’ll do it next year.’” When fall of 1989 rolled around, Leeanne decided not to bother Mr. Callan. She was quite surprised when he called her and said, “Let’s do that coat drive!” He agreed to collect the coats in his Lisle storefront, clean some as needed, and supply the coats to Leeanne to distribute. Leo supported the project with enthusiasm and collected many coats for the needy. When his son Dennis took over the business a couple of years later, he graciously continued the tradition. 

This partnership still exists 20 years later, and each year, hundreds of coats are collected from November through early January. During the peak years, up to 1000 coats were donated. Dennis says, “The community has always been behind the coat drive and always looks forward to it. Every year, we start getting inquiries in September.” Donations of clean, gently-used winter coats can be brought to Leo’s Cleaners at 4752 Main Street in Lisle.