Coat drives near Fort Smith

For the first time since 2010, the poverty rate in America shot up dramatically in 2022, according to data from the Census Bureau. That means more Americans can't afford basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, and utilities than has been the case in more than a decade.

But the situation isn't just affecting Americans living in poverty. United Way uses the term ALICE to refer to the increasing number of people who are asset-limited, income-constrained, and employed but are still not able to afford their basic needs. In 2021, 13% of Americans earned below the federal poverty level but many more, 29%, fell under the ALICE umbrella, according to the grassroots movement United for ALICE.

A study published in August 2022 from Brandeis University found that more than 75% of low-income families working full-time cannot cover the cost of basic needs. What's more, fewer than 1 in 5 low-income Hispanic and Black families in particular are able to afford the costs of a household budget. "Full-time work alone isn't enough to cover the everyday essentials most families need to support themselves," the study's lead author, Pamela Joshi, who holds a doctorate in social policy, said in a statement.

If you're looking for ways to help, particularly as the temperatures drop and the holidays approach, consider cleaning out your closet and donating a coat to those in need. To help point you in the right direction, Stacker compiled a list of coat drives near Fort Smith using data from One Warm Coat, a nonprofit that provides free coats to children and adults in need across America. Since 1992, they've given out more than 7.85 million coats.

"This is one very small way to take a step forward and do something very tangible," One Warm Coat CEO Beth Amodio told USA Today in October 2023. "It's impossible to change the world. But it is possible to change one person's experience, one person at a time."

Read on to find out where you can contribute.

Huntsville First Baptist Church
- Address: 801 Governor Road, Huntsville, AR 72740-8526

Moosejaw Bentonville
- Address: 111 South Main Street, Bentonville, AR 72712

J.Crew Woodland Hills #628
- Address: 7021 S. Memorial Drive Suite #127, Tulsa, OK, 74133

Family & Children Services Oklahoma
- Address: 650 S Peoria Ave, Tulsa, OK 74120

The Spice & Tea Exchange
- Address: 215 Branson Landing Blvd, Branson, MO, 65616

Gateway Branson
- Address: 1440 State Hwy 248, Suite Q-432, Branson, MO 65616

Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Missouri
- Address: 317 Comingo Ave, Joplin, MO 64801

Awareness Center International-New G
- Address: 900 South Pine Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72204

God's Giving Service
- Address: 8501 Geyer Springs Road, Little Rock, AR 72209

Friendship Aspire Academy Arkansas
- Address: 3615 W. 25th, Little Rock, AR, 72209

Friendship Aspire Academy Arkansas
- Address: 3615 W. 25th St., Little Rock, AR 72201

Banfi Wines at Central Distributing
- Address: 2800 Vance St, Little Rock, AR 72206

Southern Faith Ministries of Texoma
- Address: 161 Main St, Deport, TX 75435

Friendship Aspire Academy Arkansas
- Address: 3911 S. Hazel St., Pine Bluff AR, 71603

Steve Faulkner Ford Coat Drive
- Address: 3501 S. Santa Fe, Chanute, Ks 66720

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.