Coat drives near Gainesville, Georgia

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.

Ann Panzica's Coat Drive
- Address: 3803 Carter Road, Buford, GA 30518

Jackson County HS
- Address: (Main Office), 152 Jaxco Jct, Hoschton, GA 30548

The Place
- Address: 2550 The Place Circle, Cumming GA Forsyth County, GA 30040

Desire Thy Portion, Inc.
- Address: 2025 Rocksram Dr, Buford, GA 30519

Dream Chasers
- Address: 1592 Weatherbrook Cir, Lawrenceville, GA 30043

Cross Atlanta
- Address: 2850 Old Atlanta Rd., Cumming, GA 30041

J.Crew Avalon #814
- Address: 3170 Avalon Blvd., Alpharetta, GA, 30009

Pro Edge Roofing
- Address: Call or text me to arrange drop off, Alpharetta, GA 30009

Hembree Springs Elementary PTA
- Address: 815 Hembree Rd, Roswell, GA 30076

Rotary Club of Dunwoody Coat Drive
- Address: 5431 Trowbridge Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338

FINRA
- Address: 303 Perimeter Center North, Suite 550, Atlanta, GA 30346

Keep Showing Love
- Address: 2944 Ember Drive, Decatur, Ga 30034

International Rescue Committee - Georgia
- Address: 2305 Parklake Drive, Atlanta, GA 30345

J.Crew Perimeter Mall #554
- Address: 4400 Ashford-Dunwoody Road Suite 2416, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1514

Tapestri
- Address: 3939 Lavista Rd Ste E, Tucker, GA 30084

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