WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 3, 2025, — Athene donated winter coats and snow boots to nearly 2,300 elementary students in Des Moines through its Coats & Boots program last week.
“Athene’s annual donation of coats and boots is something our school looks forward to every year,” said Sarah Grady, Principal at McKinley Elementary School. “We are grateful to Athene for their continued partnership and for giving each of our students the winter clothing they need to stay safe and warm.”
For 33 years, Athene has partnered with Des Moines Public Schools to deliver essential winter gear to schools with the largest population of students in need. This year, Athene partnered with Capitol View, Cattell, Garton, Howe, McKinley and Studebaker elementary schools to provide new winter coats and boots for students in preschool through fifth grade. Athene has donated coats and boots to more than 27,000 children over the years.
“Iowa winters can be harsh, and every child deserves to be warm and ready for the season,” said Kristi Kaye Burma, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Athene. “Donating coats and boots each year helps lighten the load for families during busier winter months and allows kids to focus on learning, not the cold.”
Athene employees visit the schools twice each year. In September, volunteers measure students for coat and boot sizes. In October, volunteers return to deliver the winter gear. This year, more than 200 employees volunteered for the Coats & Boots program.
Athene purchases extra items to account for growth between visits, and any remaining coats and boots are donated to West Des Moines Human Services. In total, Athene donated over 2,600 coats and boots in Central Iowa.
The Coats & Boots program began during the Great Flood of 1993 by a legacy company of Athene, AmerUS, to help provide relief for families affected by flooding in Central Iowa. The effort included providing warm winter clothing for students at McKinley Elementary School, which was located in the flood path at the time. What began as support for a small number of students has grown into one of Athene’s signature community programs. The initiative expanded gradually and now serves six elementary schools annually.
For more information about Athene, please visit www.athene.com.
About Athene
Athene is the leading retirement services company with over $400 billion of total assets as of June 30, 2025, and operations in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and Japan. Athene is focused on providing financial security to individuals by offering an attractive suite of retirement income and savings products and also serves as a solutions provider to corporations. For more information, please visit www.athene.com.
Contact:
Tori Clausen
Community Communications Manager
712-490-9021
tori.clausen@athene.com
