Athene USA, a leading provider of retirement savings products based in West Des Moines, has donated winter clothing essentials to nearly 1,500 children at Cattell, McKinley, Howe and Studebaker elementary schools through its annual Coats & Boots program. Now in its 27th year, Coats & Boots originally started as a relief effort to provide support to victims of the 1993 floods. The program has evolved into a legacy program that has supplied coats and boots to an estimated 15,200 students in Central Iowa. More than 100 Athene employee volunteers helped to make this year's program a success. In addition to the winter clothing donated to the four Des Moines schools, Athene will also donate roughly 200 coats and boots to West Des Moines Human Services Clothing Closet, where they will be available at no cost to families in need. The coats and boots are provided by the Athene USA Charitable Foundation with the support of J.C. Penney and Shoe Carnival.