John Michael Briceño, a 2013 graduate of UT Health San Antonio’s Master’s in Radiological Sciences program, has spent the past decade building a career as a medical physicist in radiation oncology, a field that is deeply rooted in service, compassion, and improving lives. Beyond the hospital walls, Briceño has cultivated another mission, one that now stretches beyond his professional work and is changing lives in some of the coldest parts of the world.

What began six years ago as a small personal effort to help children in the Peruvian Andes stay warm during brutal winters has grown into a thriving service initiative known as The Coat Project. According to Briceño, “the harsh winters in the Peruvian mountains can be unforgiving, and for many children there, the simple luxury of a brand-new coat is a rare and treasured gift.” Over the past few years, The Coat Project has become a growing movement that has delivered more than 10,500 warm coats to children living in the high-altitude villages of the Peruvian Andes.

For Briceño, The Coat Project was partially inspired by the compassion he witnessed during this time in during graduate school. “During my graduate studies as a medical physicist at the CRTC (now known as the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio), I was deeply influenced by the compassion and dedication I witnessed daily from nurses, radiation oncologists, and medical physicists as they cared for patients facing some of life’s toughest challenges. Seeing how even small acts of kindness, an encouraging word, a moment of comfort, or going the extra mile could make such a meaningful difference in someone’s life shaped the way I see the world. That experience inspired me to carry those same values of compassion and service beyond the clinic, ultimately leading to the creation of The Coat Project, where we aim to cover the world with generosity by connecting people to meet the needs of those in need,” says Briceño.

With a network of nearly 60 volunteers and over 100 generous donors, The Coat Project has become a beacon of hope, delivering not just coats, but joy and warmth.

This year has been a transformative year for Briceño and the Coat Project. In February, the Coat Project became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization recognized by the IRS. Additionally, a team of volunteers led the first independent mission to Peru, marking a new stage of growth and sustainability for the mission.

In addition to distributing coats, The Coat Project is now expanding its impact through after-school programs that support both academic and nutritional development. Each program provides daily meals and homework support for 100 children per school, at a cost of just $1.25 per child per day.

Briceño is actively preparing for the organization’s next mission in the next few weeks and the largest coat delivery of the year. In December, volunteers will travel to Peru to distribute 2,000 coats.

Briceño’s journey from medical physicist to service leader serves as a powerful reminder that a single act of compassion, no matter how small, can grow into something that transforms lives and warms hearts around the world. Briceño says, “as a proud UT Health alumnus, this mission is my way of giving back to the community, using the same compassion and purpose that guided my work in healthcare to bring hope to children across the world.”

Want to know how you can help? Visit their website to learn more, contribute, or get involved in an upcoming mission trip: https://thecoatproject.org/