Frances Manthos ’84 is the founder of Calling London, a fully volunteer charity that has been collecting and distributing coats to people in need since 2011. She received her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and has lived in London for more than 25 years.
*Published in the 2024 Alumnae Bulletin
What is the history of Calling London? How did you go about founding this organization?
I founded Calling London 13 years ago in response to hearing about primary school children showing up at their school in the winter without coats because their families couldn’t afford to buy them one. With two kids of my own, I knew that many of us have a spare coat at home, so I registered as a non-profit charity in the UK, reached out to all my friends and asked them to either donate any unwanted coats they might have or collect at their place of work. That first year, we collected just over 1,000 coats, which we distributed through charitable groups who could hand the coats out to their clients.
What do you find rewarding about operating Calling London?
It captures people’s imagination. They can see what I’m talking about when I say: If you give me your coat, by the next week somebody else will be wearing it who otherwise couldn’t afford it. This past December we collected 10,000 coats, which was a record and has meant we could reach even more people in need. I am so grateful for my volunteers who, over a weekend, give up their time to help us open the donation bags, sort and then refold the coats, then bag them up for distribution. One of the loveliest compliments I receive from my volunteers is that they know it’s nearly Christmas when it’s “coat sorting weekend.” Many of them have come every single year since the beginning, bringing their children to get involved as well. The most rewarding times are when I receive feedback from my beneficiary groups with messages, photos, cards from the recipients of the coats.
What does a typical day look like for you?
During the Winter Coat Appeal, I am replying to endless emails from donors, from beneficiaries, organizing logistics for donations and pickups. I don’t like long email threads, so I often pick up the phone, which not only is a quicker way to get things sorted but also establishes a relationship with me. I have three lists I work from: the 40 or so schools and offices collecting coats for me, the 50 beneficiary groups requesting coats, and the volunteer sign-up list.
Our coats go to food banks, homeless shelters, to groups working with mothers and babies, survivors of human trafficking. We also give coats to men and women who have job interviews, but no appropriate coat, through organizations like Smart Works. Recently, we also have a lot of asylum seekers in London who are desperate for warm coats. There is no money involved at any stage of this, nothing is bought, nothing is sold, and some requests are as small as 20 coats and the biggest is something like 700. I also try to post every few days to Instagram, through which we reach new donors as well as charities needing our coats.
How do you find volunteers?
Word of mouth, friends, friends’ families, offices, CSR [Corporate Social Responsibility] Days. It’s a UK thing, two days a year, groups will come as a team from an office. It’s different from what their day jobs are. They usually do M&A for a bank, for example, and here they are with their lint brushes folding children’s coats! We take over a church hall, wear our gloves and open all the bags to quality-check them. Our policy is we won’t give out a coat we ourselves wouldn’t wear.
Our beneficiaries provide a list in advance — I would like 20 men’s, 13 women’s, whatever it is. Every one of our bags has five coats, super easy to count and color coded. I have two vans, one-third of the coats the volunteers will deliver; some charities will pick up. I will do the rest in my car. This allows me to meet people and ensure that everyone’s happy, and I can vouch for all the charities. It makes it more personal.
Did your educational path lead you to your professional pursuits?
Not at all! I studied comparative literature (with French and German) at Princeton and then moved to London. However, from my time at Chapin, I have consistently volunteered. I started in 10th grade at a soup kitchen somewhere near School, then continued at university with reading to blind students, then working with autistic children. When I moved back to London, I volunteered on a crisis hotline for 16 years. Volunteering has played an essential role in making me who I am today.
For how long were you at Chapin? What resonates most about your years there?
I joined Chapin in 8th grade when I moved to New York from London. I have very happy memories of my time there, and our Class of ’84 was great! Some of my closest friends are from School. Thanks to WhatsApp groups, we are in touch weekly. Mrs. Berendsen was the ideal headmistress. She was quite strict, but she remembered every student’s name as well as their parents’ names. She was incredible. We had inspiring teachers. My favorite was certainly Latin with the great Mr. Bundy.
What advice would you give to current Chapin students or young alums who may be interested in pursuing a career in social work or human services or getting involved with an organization like yours? How might you consider yourself a role model for young people?
I would like to see all young people volunteer: whether working with young kids, beautifying a neighborhood, visiting the elderly — find something that you feel comfortable with, and do it. Every volunteer experience can show you something about yourself, and don’t underestimate the rewards of giving up your time for free to help someone else.
How do you like to relax and decompress?
As my classmates may remember, I am a film buff, so going to the movies and to theater continues to be important to me. I also find such joy in getting lost in a book. But top of the list is spending time with my friends and family. My son and daughter are in their 20s, and they live in London as well. We’re all here! I’m very fortunate.