Coat drives near Waterloo

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 Waterloo 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.

Shelter House Iowa City
- Address: 429 Southgate Ave, Iowa City, IA 52240

The Bridge Home
- Address: 225 S Kellogg Ave, Ames, IA 50010

EMBARC
- Address: 4801 Franklin Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310

City of West Des Moines - Human Services
- Address: 139 6Th St, West Des Moines, IA 50265

Urbandale Community Action Network (UCAN)
- Address: Po Box 7615, Urbandale, IA 50323

J.Crew Jordan Creek #673
- Address: 101 Jordan Creek Parkway Space #11090, West Des Moines, IA, 50266

Sieda Community Action
- Address: Po Box 658, Ottumwa, IA 52501

St. Luke's Episcopal Church
- Address: 1884 22Nd St Nw, Rochester, MN 55901

Christian Care
- Address: 2209 3Rd Ave, Rock Island, IL 61204

Community Connections Free Clinic
- Address: 101 E Fountain St, Dodgeville, WI 53533

Family Advocates
- Address: 305 N Iowa, 2Nd Floor, Dodgeville, WI 53533-1304

Neighbors Helping Neighbors
- Address: 102 E Lincoln Street PO BOX 196, Mt Horeb, WI 53582

Frederick Dogbatsey's Coat Drive
- Address: 1013 Avea Court, Mankato, MN 56001

LIGHTHOUSE Chapel International
- Address: 1013 Avea Ct, Mankato, MN 56001

Hope House of South Central Wisconsin
- Address: 720 Ash St, Baraboo, WI 53913-2138

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