Coat drives near El Centro

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 El Centro 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.

Martha's Village + Kitchen
- Address: 83791 Date Ave, Indio, CA 92201

J.Crew University Town Center #791
- Address: 4465 La Jolla Village Drive Space #H-3, San Diego, CA, 92122

San Diego Rescue Mission
- Address: 120 Elm Street, San Diego, CA 92101

LePort Montessori
- Address: 1010 Solana Drive, Del Mar, CA 92014

Pilates Plus La Jolla
- Address: 7712 Fay Ave La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037

MAAC Project Head Start & Early Head Start
- Address: 956 Vale Terrace Dr, Vista, CA 92084

Lowe's Pro Supply
- Address: 2800 Whiptail Loop W, Suite 105, Carlsbad, Ca 92010

Libby Elementary School
- Address: 423 W Redondo Dr, Oceanside, CA 92057

CalRes Realty
- Address: 2691 State St., Carlsbad, Ca. 92008

FOSTERING KIDS FOR LIFE, INC
- Address: 32000 Riverside Drive, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530

J.Crew Mission Viejo #577
- Address: 548 The Shops at Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo, CA, 92691

Jurupa Unified School District- Parent Involvement & Community Outreach
- Address: 3924 Riverview Drive, Jurupa Valley, CA 92509

FUSION OF IDEAS
- Address: 40 EMPIRE DR, LAKE FOREST, CA 92630, DROP OFF IN REAR OF BUILDING @ WAREHOUSE

Embrace (Foundation for Affordable Housing) CA
- Address: 384 Forest Ave., Ste 14, Irvine, CA 92651

Hazel's Hands Inc
- Address: 12672 Limonite Ave Ste#E #175, Eastvale, CA 92880

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