Coat drives near Lake Charles
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 Lake Charles 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.
Apple Moving
- Address: 901 University Parkway, Leesville, LA 71446
Deb Dennon flea market
- Address: 4147hwy 112, Forest Hill, Louisiana 71430
Banfi Wines at RNDC Lafayette
- Address: 210 Distribution Drive, Lafayette, LA 70507
Hope Through Housing Foundation
- Address: 831 Wilson Road, Houston, TX 77338
Davila Elementary School
- Address: 7610 Dahlia St, Houston, TX 77012
El Centro de Corazon
- Address: 7037 Capitol St, Houston, TX 77011
Carrillo Elementary School
- Address: 960 S Wayside Dr, Houston, TX 77023
Coop Elementary
- Address: 10130 Aldine Westfield Rd, Houston, TX 77093
Eastwood Wraparound
- Address: 1315 Dumble St, Houston, TX 77023
Accompanied by God's Love
- Address: 19410 Flatrock Park Ln, Houston, TX 77073
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD
- Address: 2627 Caroline St, Houston, TX 77004
Lord of The Streets
- Address: 3401 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77004
Nurturers of Love Youth Choices
- Address: Po Box 670086, Houston, TX 77267
Nurturers of Love Youth Choices
- Address: PO Box 670086, Houston, TX 77267
Ageless Beauty Texas
- Address: 100 Medical Center Blvd., Suite 220, Conroe, Texas 77304
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.
