Ocean State Job Lot Launches Annual Veteran Coat Drive

The retailer leverages a gift card exchange program across 177 locations to boost traffic and support veteran necessities.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Philanthropy

Bold vector editorial illustration showing a single winter coat draped over a collection bin, evoking community-driven retail support for veterans. — Ocean State Job Lot has launched its annual winter coat drive across 177 stores, offering store credit to customers who donate new coats for veterans. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you believe retail companies should prioritize donating physical goods directly to local veterans in need?

Ocean State Job Lot has launched its 11th annual coat donation program, which incentivizes customer participation by exchanging a $45 store gift card for every $45 coat donated. This initiative, operating across 177 stores in 11 states, aims to distribute 90,000 coats to support veterans and families facing hardship.

Why it matters

The program addresses the persistent challenge of basic necessity access for veteran populations, currently estimated at 32,000 homeless individuals in the U.S. By leveraging a direct gift-card-for-goods exchange, the retailer facilitates high-volume community support while driving repeat retail foot traffic.

Since 2016, the retailer has donated 450,000 coats through 50 partner organizations, with 90,000 coats earmarked for the current annual campaign. This effort spans 177 stores across 11 states, operating within a company framework that generates $900 million in annual sales.

The players

Ocean State Job Lot

A Northeast-based discount retailer operating 177 stores with $900 million in annual sales.

The details

The Buy-Give-Get program functions as a closed-loop exchange where customers purchase a $45 coat in-store and immediately donate it back to the onsite collection point. In return, the retailer issues a $45 store gift card, effectively subsidizing the donation cost for the consumer while maintaining inventory turnover. The logistics are supported by over 50 regional veteran and community support organizations that handle the final distribution of the items to those in need.

2016: The Buy-Give-Get Coats program began.
October 2026: The 11th annual coat program began.
December 2026: The coat program ends.

Market Landscape

The retailer’s localized charity initiative follows the recent 8.2% annual reduction in U.S. veteran homelessness, aligning private-sector support with broader national progress. This effort marks a departure from traditional corporate giving by integrating direct, customer-facing inventory exchange into the core retail model.

Operators can evaluate the Buy-Give-Get model as a low-risk strategy for boosting foot traffic during the Q4 retail window. The program demonstrates how anchoring charitable incentives to fixed-value gift cards can solve supply chain logistics for donated goods while strengthening local community relationships.

The takeaway

The program highlights the effectiveness of using internal gift card structures to incentivize recurring consumer engagement for social causes. Retailers interested in similar programs should establish formal logistics agreements with local non-profits before the end-of-year donation window closes in December.