Coat drives near Midland, Michigan
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 Midland 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.
Good Samaritan Rescue Mission
- Address: 713 9Th St, Bay City, MI 48708
HearingLife
- Address: 2135 Brenner St, Saginaw, MI 48603
St. Paul Lutheran School
- Address: 402 S. Ballenger Hwy, Flint, MI 48532
Little Lamb's Compassionate Ministry Center, Inc.
- Address: 2270 S Dye Rd, Flint, MI 48532
Carriage Town Ministries
- Address: 605 Garland Street, Flint, MI 48503
Beauty for Ashes
- Address: Po Box 247, Flint, MI 48501
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices of Grand Blanc
- Address: 536 Perry Rd, Grand Blanc, MI 48439
Iosco County Coats for Kids
- Address: 401 Main St, East Tawas, MI 48730
Beauty for Ashes Isaiah 61
- Address: 16051 Murray Rd, Byron, MI 48418
Fairfield Inn & Suites
- Address: 3320 Preyde BLVD, Lansing, MI 48912
Angels of Action
- Address: 200 S Stewart Ave, Big Rapids, MI 49307
Moosejaw East Lansing
- Address: 555 E Grand River Avenue, East Lansing, MI 48823
Kaydan Wealth Management Coat Drive
- Address: 329 W. Silver Lake Road, Fenton, MI 48430
Eastside Community Action Center
- Address: 1001 Dakin St, Lansing, MI 48912
Give-A-Kid-Projects
- Address: 4064 Holt Rd., Holt, MI 48842-1844
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.