Not sure I understand the derision here. Unless I am missing something, the OP might not have the budget to buy a coat at this precise moment, and the kid needs one asap. And asap is an understatement with the current weather.
I know that one can buy a Pea Coat for around 50 dollars on Amazon right now! The goodwill routes are all fine and dandy, but I merely pointed out that the low budget at this time could be shored up by a quick trip to the financial aid office and filing a request for a loan. What is the cost of a student loan today? The school has the ability to add it to the COA and process it quickly. In case one wants to get rid of it later, it is easy to pay off.
Parents are often struggling to help their children, but there are times when the student himself can take of a temporary setback by using the tools at his disposal. Having a small loan added to 4 years at Yale should not be the end of the world for anyone!