Coat drives near Gainesville

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 Gainesville 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.

Interfaith Emergency Services
- Address: 435 Nw 2Nd St, Ocala, FL 34475

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty
- Address: 3535 Hwy 17, Ste #10, Fleming Islan, FL 32003

Infinite Beginnings Foodbank
- Address: 7947 Jaguar Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32244

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
- Address: Florida Network Realty, 12636 San Jose Blvd, Ste #1, Jacksonville, FL 32223

Presbyterian Social Ministries, Inc.
- Address: 4115 Post St, Jacksonville, FL 32205

Downtown Ecumenical Services Council
- Address: Desc 215 N. Ocean Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202

St. Augustine Society
- Address: 70 Washington St, Saint Augustine, FL 32084

J.Crew St. John's Town Center #675
- Address: 4751 River City Drive, Jacksonville, FL, 32246

Farm Share Jacksonville
- Address: 1460 Vantage Way S Ste 100, Jacksonville, FL 32218

Hearts of Serenity Homes, Inc
- Address: 1414 N. Ronald Reagan Blvd Ste 1220, Longwood, FL 327503418

Hearts of Serenity Homes
- Address: Inc., 1414 N. Ronald Reagan Blvd., Suite 1220, Longwood, FL 32750

Orlando Union Rescue Mission
- Address: 1521 West Washington Street, Orlando, FL 32805

Catholic Charities of Central Florida
- Address: 207 White Street, Orlando, FL 32807

J.Crew Mall at Millenia #688
- Address: 4200 Conroy Road Space #G-175, Orlando, FL, 32839

NUEVO COMIENZO CHURCH
- Address: 3511 Bonaire Blvd # 242, KISSIMMEE, FL 34741

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