Coat drives near Valdosta

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 Valdosta 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.

The Partnerships for America (GA)
- Address: 112 South Goodman Street, Sparks, GA 31647

The Teresa L. Berger Foundation
- Address: Tallahassee, FL 32301

The Teresa L. Berger Foundation, Inc
- Address: 3568 Coyote Creek Dr, Tallahassee, FL 32301

I Am Legacy PTCA Inc
- Address: 700 N Slappey Blvd, Albany, GA 31701-3001

Farm Share Quincy
- Address: 18212 Blue Star Hwy, Quincy, FL 32351

Faithful Temple Church of Deliverance Outreach Ministry
- Address: 962 Seven Oaks Rf, Jesup, GA 31546

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jackson County School Board
- Address: 2903 Jefferson Street, Marianna, FL 32447

Jackson County School Board Office
- Address: 2903 Jefferson Street, Marianna, FL 32446

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