Operation Warm
Operation Warm is a Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that manufactures and distributes brand-new coats, shoes, and sports bras to children in need across 4,000+ U.S. and Canadian communities through corporate, government, and community partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Operation Warm does
Operation Warm is a Pennsylvania-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1998 by Dick Sanford and headquartered in Glen Mills, PA. The organization manufactures and distributes three core product lines — high-quality winter coats (sizes 2T to Adult XXL for ages 3–13), durable athletic shoes with two pairs of socks (sizes 6 Toddler to 4 Kids for ages 2 through 3rd grade), and sports bras (sizes XS–XL) under the FLY:FWD program launched in 2023. Items are produced to proprietary specifications with annual style refreshes and are differentiated from typical clothing-charity models by being brand-new rather than donated or hand-me-down. Operations are funded entirely through charitable contributions — individual donations (processed via GiveLively), corporate partnerships, community fundraising, and government grants — and the organization reports a 95% program efficiency ratio (95 cents of every dollar directed to gifting programs).
Distribution operates through three service models: in-person gifting events where children personally select items, direct-ship fulfillment to vetted recipient organizations, and Wish List fulfillment for eligible organizations serving pre-K through 5th-grade children. The go-to-market relies on a multi-channel ecosystem spanning flagship corporate partners (Subaru of America across 620+ retailers, FedEx since 2008 spanning North and parts of South America, Nordstrom, Downy/Procter & Gamble, Dick's Sporting Goods, Mountain America Credit Union), government partnerships at the state and county level (Ohio Governor's Office since 2016, Maryland DHS since 2023, First Lady of Tennessee since 2022, PA DHS in 2025), and a national network of 4,000+ community partner organizations including rotary clubs, IAFF fire fighter locals, and faith-based groups. The organization has cumulatively served more than 7 million children since founding, with annual Wish List demand of 1.4 million requests against 545,000 fulfilled, and received the 2026 ANA Nonprofit Excellence Award Organization of the Year.
Operation Warm firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Operation Warm
- Legal name
- Operation Warm Inc.
- Website
- https://operationwarm.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Operation Warm is a Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that manufactures and distributes brand-new coats, shoes, and sports bras to children in need across 4,000+ U.S. and Canadian communities through corporate, government, and community partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Operation Warm industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Apparel Donation Programs
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311), Footwear Manufacturing (3162)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Outerwear & Snowsuits (Children) (CRAAAHAF), Emergency Shelter, NFIs & Winterization for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAG)
Keywords
Where Operation Warm is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Operation Warm business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through the organization's website using GiveLively platform, with options for one-time and recurring donations. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporations sponsor programs through cause marketing activations, employee engagement events, charitable giving programs, and point-of-sale donations. Partners include Subaru, FedEx, Nordstrom, and others who fund coat, shoe, and sports bra programs.
- Community Fundraising: Community organizations, service clubs, faith-based institutions, and schools fundraise to gift resources to children in their communities. The organization provides online fundraising pages and partner portal tools.
- Government Partnerships: Local and state government agencies partner to fund brand-new coat and shoe programs for vulnerable constituents through departments like Ohio Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and Maryland Department of Human Services.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Operation Warm product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Operation Warm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that manufactures and distributes brand-new coats, athletic shoes with socks, and sports bras to children in need across the U.S. and Canada. Products are funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, community fundraising, and government partnerships, then delivered via in-person gifting events, Wish List fulfillment, and direct ship programs to organizations serving children pre-K through 5th grade.
Product overview
Operation Warm is a national nonprofit organization that manufactures and distributes brand-new, high-quality clothing essentials for children in need. The company operates three core product lines: (1) Coats — their flagship product featuring water-resistant winter coats with fleece linings, sized for children preschool through 6th grade; (2) Shoes & Socks — durable athletic shoes with two pairs of socks for children ages 2 through 3rd grade; and (3) FLY:FWD Sports Bras — a program launched in 2023 providing sports bras to support girls' participation in athletics. These products are distributed through gifting events, wish list fulfillment, and direct ship programs, in partnership with corporations, community organizations, and government agencies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FLY:FWD: A sports bra program launched in 2023 dedicated to breaking barriers for girls in sports by providing sports bras. The program addresses the barrier that prevents many girls from participating in sports due to lack of access to basic gear like sports bras.
Products and services
- Operation Warm Coats Brand-new, high-quality, long-lasting winter coats with water-resistant shells, fleece linings, deep pockets, and hoods. Available in sizes 2T to Adult XXL for children ages 3-13 (preschool through 6th grade). Manufactured to strict industry standards and refreshed annually to stay on trend. Provided at no cost to children in need through Operation Warm's partner organizations.
- Operation Warm Shoes & Socks Durable, well-fitting athletic shoes in various sizes and colors, packed with 2 pairs of soft, breathable socks for all-day comfort. Available in sizes 6 Toddler to 4 Kids for children ages 2 through 3rd grade. Refreshed annually to reflect current styles. Provided at no cost to children in need through Operation Warm's partner organizations.
- FLY:FWD Sports Bras Sports bras designed specifically for young female athletes through the FLY:FWD program, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to breaking barriers for girls' sports participation. Available in sizes XS-XL. Addresses the barrier that causes girls to drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14. Provided at no cost to girls through partner schools and organizations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% of beneficiaries said coats, shoes, and socks are among top ten most requested items
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Operation Warm
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Operation Warm technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Operation Warm partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship, core and supporting.
- Idaho State University Athletics & Idaho Falls Spud KingsminorMountain America Credit Union partnership raised $11,500 ($6,000 from ISU basketball 3-point shots at $50 each, $5,500 from Spud Kings hockey goals) to provide coats and shoes to children in eastern Idaho.
- Subaru of AmericaflagshipThird consecutive year partnership through Subaru Loves to Help program. 620+ Subaru retailers nationwide hosted gifting events delivering brand-new coats, shoes, and socks to children experiencing homelessness. More than 140,000 children received essentials in 2026, with over 1 million children and adults served cumulatively through this partnership. Includes integrated advertising campaign 'Subaru Loves to Help - #1 Automotive Brand for Social Impact.'
- Downy (Procter & Gamble) & Dollar General Literacy Foundationcore$100,000 donation with in-person distribution events in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cincinnati, Ohio where employee volunteers delivered winter coats and essential items. Custom-branded experiences with digital amplification through two engaged influencers.
- MeijersupportingRetail partner with Downy and Operation Warm for $100,000 donation initiative. In-person distribution events in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cincinnati, Ohio with employee volunteers delivering winter coats and essential items.
- Fitzgerald Subaru of RockvillesupportingLocal dealership partnership with Subaru Corporate and Operation Warm to visit Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. Distributed more than 400 pairs of shoes, socks, and jackets to under-resourced children.
- Mountain America Credit UnionsupportingDonated $15,000 during Idaho State University football game. Since 2019, credit union has contributed over $175,000 to supply coats and shoes to children in need in eastern Idaho.
- FLY:FWD Initiative PartnerscoreFLY:FWD addresses barriers to girls' sports participation by providing properly fitting sports bras. Survey shows many girls skip physical activities due to discomfort and lack of appropriate gear. Program aims to promote confidence, equity, and opportunities.
- Dick's Sporting GoodssupportingFLY:FWD program partnership to provide sports bras and empower 1,500 girls with access to essential athletic wear. Grant funding enabled service across several states, advancing female empowerment through sport.
- Monumental Sports & Entertainment & Washington MysticscoreEquipHER campaign partnership providing over 13,000 sports bras to girls across 39 D.C. Public Schools. Access helps remove barriers so more girls can participate in sports.
- Diversified EnergysupportingFourth year of partnership helping bring warmth and confidence to over 12,000 children through continued commitment and participation in giving events supporting families and strengthening communities.
- NordstromcoreSix+ year partnership including point-of-sale donations, national promotions with donation match initiatives, and 17 employee gifting events. Served over 98,000 children with 3,400+ volunteer hours contributed. Integrated campaign on Giving Tuesday with dollar-for-dollar match through co-branded storytelling.
- FedExcoreLong-standing partnership since 2008 spanning employee engagement events, in-kind shipping support, and cause marketing including co-branded NASCAR car wrap. Provided coats, shoes, and sports bras through FLY:FWD program. Served over 1.7 million children across North America and parts of South America.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Operation Warm competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Soles4Souls: Soles4Souls is a nonprofit that distributes new and gently-used shoes to people in need across the U.S. and globally. It is directly comparable to Operation Warm's shoe-distribution function, similar donor and corporate-partner GTM, and analogous recipient segments (low-income children and families).
- Baby2Baby: Baby2Baby provides children in need with diapers, clothing, and other essentials, distributing millions of items annually through a network of partner organizations. It mirrors Operation Warm's model of new-item distribution to under-resourced children, its corporate-partnership GTM (Nordstrom, FedEx), and its focus on dignity-preserving gifting events.
- Shoes That Fit: Shoes That Fit is a nonprofit that provides new athletic shoes to children in low-income schools in the U.S. It overlaps directly with Operation Warm's shoe product line, addresses the same "67% of kids wear ill-fitting shoes" need, and uses similar school- and community-based distribution.
- Good360: Good360 distributes newly donated goods from corporations to a network of nonprofits serving people in need. It is comparable to Operation Warm's brand-new-item distribution model, multi-channel partner GTM, and focus on dignity and quality standards for recipients.
Broad incumbents
- TOMS Shoes: TOMS built a for-profit, one-for-one footwear and apparel brand around social-impact giving. It is broadly comparable to Operation Warm as an impact-driven shoe distributor, though TOMS operates a commercial retail model rather than a donation-funded nonprofit model.
- Dress for Success: Dress for Success provides professional clothing and development tools to women in need to support economic mobility. It overlaps with Operation Warm's clothing-distribution mission and corporate-partnership model, though its beneficiaries and product category differ.
- Salvation Army USA: The Salvation Army is a broad faith-based social services nonprofit providing clothing, shelter, and emergency assistance. It is a larger incumbent operating in overlapping domains (coats, disaster relief, social services) with similar corporate and community partnership channels.
- Goodwill Industries International: Goodwill is a large nonprofit social enterprise providing job training and clothing/household-goods distribution. It is broadly comparable to Operation Warm in channel reach, social-services mission, and reliance on donated-goods and corporate partnerships.
- Feeding America: Feeding America is the largest U.S. hunger-relief nonprofit, operating a nationwide food bank network with corporate partners and government contracts. It is comparable to Operation Warm as a scaled nonprofit with corporate cause-marketing, government partnerships, and standardized giving-event models — though its product category is food rather than apparel.
Others
- United Way Worldwide: United Way is a federated nonprofit that funds and coordinates local health and human services. It is thematically comparable to Operation Warm in the community-funding ecosystem (workplace giving campaigns, corporate partnerships), though it operates as a grantmaker rather than direct service provider.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Operation Warm social profiles
Digital presenceOperation Warm financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Operation Warm leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Operation Warm funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
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Operation Warm M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Operation Warm
What does Operation Warm do?
Operation Warm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that manufactures and distributes brand-new coats, athletic shoes with socks, and sports bras to children in need across the U.S. and Canada. Products are funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, community fundraising, and government partnerships, then delivered via in-person gifting events, Wish List fulfillment, and direct ship programs to organizations serving children pre-K through 5th grade.
Is Operation Warm a public or private company?
Operation Warm is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Operation Warm founded?
Operation Warm was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Operation Warm based?
Operation Warm is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Operation Warm make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships, community Fundraising and government Partnerships.
Who are Operation Warm's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Soles4Souls, Baby2Baby, Shoes That Fit and Good360. Broad incumbents are TOMS Shoes, Dress for Success, Salvation Army USA, Goodwill Industries International and Feeding America. United Way Worldwide is listed as an others.
Does Operation Warm have an API?
No public API is recorded for Operation Warm.
What industry is Operation Warm in?
Operation Warm's product category is Children's Apparel Donation Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAC, Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI), with a secondary code of CRAAAHAF, Outerwear & Snowsuits (Children). Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8300.