Coat drives near Wichita

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 Wichita 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.

Union Rescue Mission
- Address: 2800 N Hillside Ave, Wichita, KS 67219

Steve Faulkner Ford Coat Drive
- Address: 3501 S. Santa Fe, Chanute, Ks 66720

Wounded Warrior United
- Address: 3303 Valleywood Dr, Manhattan, KS 66502

Family & Children Services Oklahoma
- Address: 650 S Peoria Ave, Tulsa, OK 74120

Topeka Rescue Mission
- Address: 401 Nw Norris, Topeka, KS 66608

J.Crew Woodland Hills #628
- Address: 7021 S. Memorial Drive Suite #127, Tulsa, OK, 74133

Hair by Chelcie Meranda @ Hair Expression Studios
- Address: 913 Cornwell dr, Yukon, Ok 73090

Banfi Wines at Republic National Distributing Company Oklahoma
- Address: 605 N. Tulsa Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73107

Feed the Children - Oklahoma City
- Address: 333 N Meridian Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73107

J.Crew Penn Square #638
- Address: 1901 NW Expressway Space 1033A, Oklahoma City, OK, 73118

Nana's Closet Inc
- Address: Po Box 891885, Oklahoma City, OK 73189

Moosejaw Olathe
- Address: 686 N Central Street, Olathe, KS 66061

Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Missouri
- Address: 317 Comingo Ave, Joplin, MO 64801

Kansas City Kansas Public School Head Start/Early Childhood Program
- Address: 2010 N 59Th St., Kansas City, KS 66104

J.Crew Country Club #605
- Address: 519 Nichols Road, Kansas City, MO, 64112

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