Michigan winters are widely known for being long, cold and brutal.

For some families, keeping warm is a daily struggle.

Alex VanHaren, a fourth-grader at Oxford Elementary School, has been working to ease that struggle for local students.

Last winter, Alex came up with a solution for children without appropriate winter wear. He created a program called Scarves 4 Cozy Kids.

Through the program, a box of scarves and other winter apparel is placed at local elementary schools and continuously refilled throughout the season.

If a child needs something warm to wear, they can choose articles of clothing from the box to use and keep.

“On the playground, I saw lots of kids without winter stuff and they were walking around freezing,” Alex said. “Scarves are really warm whenever you’re outside. So, I decided to start putting out scarves for kids who were less fortunate.”

According to his mother Nicole VanHaren, of Oxford, Alex first introduced the idea to her last winter after his discovery.

“He said ‘Mom, I need you to learn how to knit.’ He wanted to wear two scarves every day and would give the extra one to someone that needs it,” she explained. “Then, he came up with the box idea a few days later and I said ‘Even better!’ We spoke to the principal at Oxford Elementary and he, of course, agreed.”

Impressed by her son’s concern for others, Nicole has taken an active role in making Alex’s idea a reality.

She learned how to knit using a Rainbow Loom, a plastic tool for weaving, and by watching on-line videos.

Since the start of the program, Nicole said six other mothers in the area have stepped forward to assist her.

The Scarves 4 Cozy Kids program provided more than 200 pieces of winter wear to elementary students throughout Oxford last winter.

Next fall, Alex said he is looking to expand the program to include other elementary schools in Oakland County.

Nicole said Alex is always looking for ways to improve the lives of others.

“He makes me proud every day. His heart is absolutely his best quality,” she said.

According to Alex, they are asking for votes on the Scarves 4 Cozy Kids Facebook page to help determine which elementary schools outside of Oxford will be given a box.

Along with votes, Alex said the program welcomes donations of yarn, new/gently-used winter clothing from smoke-free and pet-free homes, and volunteers to do some knitting.

For more information, or to make a donation, contact Nicole VanHaren through the Scarves 4 Cozy Kids page on Facebook.