Above: Nancy Killilea of Edina has set up boxes at downtown Minneapolis hotels to gather extra winter gear that Super Bowl visitors may be stocking up on, donating it to local homeless organizations.
Thousands of ill-prepared visitors to Minneapolis may be frantically stocking up on hats, gloves and extra winter gear to weather the frigid temperatures before the Super Bowl.
And Nancy Killilea of Edina hopes they leave it all behind.
While listening to a Texan describe buying heavy-duty winter boots just for the Super Bowl in Minnesota and not needing them after the big game, Killilea suddenly got a last-minute idea: start a collection drive so visitors returning to warmer-weather states will leave the spontaneous winter gear purchases behind for the local homeless.
"We could reclaim those and offer it to those who need it here," she said.
She quickly launched the effort, dubbed Pass Your Parka, on Friday, dropping off some boxes at downtown Minneapolis hotels. By Sunday's game day, she plans to have boxes at 13 downtown hotels with the simple plea: "Wherever you're going, it's warmer than here."
"Hopefully it's a meaningful contribution," she said. "Being homeless in Minnesota has to be the worst."
All winter gear that she collects will be donated on Tuesday to St. Stephen's Human Services and the House of Charity, which both assist local people experiencing homelessness.
