North Carolina Baptists partnered with South Carolina Baptists and New York City (NYC) church planters to distribute more than 8,000 coats to families and individuals in New York City on Dec 6. 

More than 250 volunteers from 29 N.C. Baptist churches and more than 80 volunteers from nine South Carolina churches participated in this year’s Coats for the City outreach. They worked with the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association (MNYBA) and 35 church plants in the city to serve those in need.

Luke Calvert and Robin Carabin co-pastor Cultivate NYC in West Harlem. They leveraged the Coats event in combination with a literacy program Cultivate runs in their neighborhood, where many children don’t read at grade level. 

Offering both resources to their community provided a “beautiful opportunity to continue something that we’re already doing in a special way, and move these relationships down the line, where we will hopefully get to gospel conversations in the near future with some of the families that we’re serving,” Carabin said.

Meeting practical needs helps them build trust with the community, Calvert shared. 

“That’s huge for us in New York City … to break down the division wall between culture and the church,” Calvert said. 

Candace Profit leads Children’s and Outreach Ministries at Queens Church. She said Coats is a blessing for the neighborhood the church serves, where many families live at or below the poverty line. It also reflects a shared mission. 

“We use these outreaches to show people that it’s bigger than Queens Church. This is God’s kingdom moving together,” she said.

Since Coats started 14 years ago, thousands of New York residents have received coats and other winter gear while hearing and engaging in conversations about faith and the hope found in Jesus. The initiative opens doors for N.C. Baptist churches to engage in cross-cultural missions work in a unique context.

“We are definitely about mercy ministries, but ultimately this provides a chance to share the gospel with the nations because here in Queens and in New York, we have people from all over the world,” said Blair Feller, who serves on staff with N.C. Baptists’ Mission Catalysts group.

Aaron Wallace, director of the Mission Catalysts group, went on his first trip with Coats this year and reflected on its significance in discipleship. 

“Building relationships is key to the gospel. It’s key to discipleship. It’s key to people’s salvation,” Wallace said. “Until they know they’re cared for and loved and seen, many times they won’t hear the message.”

‘It takes everyone’

The ongoing yearly collaboration between N.C. Baptists, S.C. Baptists and the MNYBA has not only served communities in New York, but has been a channel of encouragement to church planters laboring for the gospel throughout the city.

Narciso Montero pastors two Hispanic churches in Queens: Iglesia Bautista La Palabra and Iglesia Bautista Resurreccion.

Coats for the City “is the way that the Lord said to us that we are not alone,” he said. “We have brothers and sisters in other places that are praying for us, working with us.”

Justin Adamson is lead pastor of New Song of Hope Church in the Jamaica neighborhood. This was their third year participating in Coats. Having people from around the country partner with church plants in New York City helps make ministry possible, he said.

“It’s so hard here with limited resources and in a very expensive place … (partnership) makes it actually feasible and even possible for church plants like us to even be able to function on a regular basis like this.”

Larry Mayberry, MNYBA executive director, said the support is not only helpful but necessary. 

“As we build out the church framework here in the city … it takes everyone,” Mayberry said. “We need not only other churches, but state conventions, associations to get involved.”

Joseph Biswas, a pastor with Evangelical Bengali Church, was moved during a time of prayer that preceded the distribution events. He said he was brought to tears when volunteers and leaders prayed for him together.

“They are here with not only the coats,” Biswas said. “They are here with their love and passion for Christ, which touched me and touched our community.”

Teams distribute coats every December, but Coats for the City is a year-round effort among North Carolina Baptists. Churches can begin collecting coats now for 2026. To get involved or for more information, visit ncbaptist.org/coats. 

Churches can also explore ways to engage in missions locally and globally, and connect with and care for missionaries at ncbaptist.org/missionsengagement. 

By Liz Tablazon, N.C. Baptist Contributing Writer