Coat drives near Denver
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 Denver 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.
Homies Unidos
- Address: 1600 Glenarm pl, Denver, CO 80202
J.Crew Cherry Creek #569
- Address: 3000 E First Avenue Space #147, Denver, CO, 80206
Cotopaxi Larimer Square
- Address: 1410 Larimer Street, Denver, CO 80202
Community Economic Defense Project
- Address: 1035 Osage St Ste 835, Denver, CO 80204
Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains
- Address: 1035 Osage St Ste 700, Denver, CO 80204
Family Promise of Greater Denver
- Address: 419 Lipan St, Denver, CO 80204
8z Real Estate
- Address: 2809 Larimer Street, Denver, CO, 80205
Mile High Behavioral Healthcare / Comitis Crisis Center
- Address: 4242 Delaware St, Denver, CO 80216
Cotopaxi Cherry Creek
- Address: 3000 E 1st Avenue Space 129, Denver, CO 80206
Mile High WorkShop
- Address: 3795 E 38Th Avenue, Denver, CO 80205
Lifespan Local
- Address: 4407 Morrison Rd, Denver, CO 80219
Smith Elementary School
- Address: 3590 Jasmine St, Denver, CO 80207
Denver Rescue Mission
- Address: 6100 Smith Rd, Denver, CO 80216
Compass Academy
- Address: 2285 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219
Emerge Modern Salon
- Address: 2749 S Broadway, Englewood, CO 80113
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.