Coat drives near Kankakee
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 Kankakee 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.
Agape Community Outreach Mission
- Address: 196 S. Harrison Ave., Kankakee, IL 60901
BEA NICE FOUNDATION
- Address: 25716 S Middle Point Ave, Monee, IL 60449
Faith and Action
- Address: 25353 State St. Unit D, Crete, IL 60417
Kreative Kinnectionz Youth Outreach Inc.
- Address: 4137 Sauk Trail suite 116, Richton Park, IL 60471
Heirs of the Kingdom Christian Outreach Ministry
- Address: 350 Juniper Street, Parkforest, IL 60466
Colorvylle Creative Kids Foundation
- Address: 350 Juniper St Apt 301, Park Forest, IL 60466
Hope and Divine Purpose Transitional Living Home, Inc
- Address: 103 Girard Blvd, Joliet, IL 60433
UMR Chicago Chapter
- Address: 10741 Crystal Creek Dr, Mokena, IL 60448
Dakayla Mitchell's Coat Drive
- Address: 21737 Jeffrey Ave, Sauk Village, IL 60411
Christ Temple Community Organization
- Address: 1427 Ellis Ave, Ford Heights, IL 60411
RISE
- Address: 1627 Rock Creek Blvd, Joliet, Illinois 60431
Together We Cope
- Address: 17010 Oak Park Ave, Tinley Park, IL 60477
The Art of Transparency
- Address: 122 S Spruce Ln, Glenwood, IL 60425
Kabod House International
- Address: 861 Ridge Rd Trlr 21, Homewood, IL 60430
Anytime Fitness Lockport
- Address: 420 Summit Drive, Lockport, IL 46311
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.