Coat drives near Hattiesburg
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 Hattiesburg 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.
Lily Baptist Church
- Address: 358 Kennedy Street, Mobile, Al 36603
Waterfront Rescue Mission- Mobile Campus
- Address: 279A N Washington Ave, Mobile, AL 36633
Always Knowing the Truth
- Address: 1810 Highway 80 W, Jackson, MS 39204
Stewpot Community Service
- Address: 1100 W Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39203
Banfi Wines at Republic National Distributing Company Mississippi
- Address: 104 Lone Wolf Drive, Madison, MS 39110
Esther's Haven House
- Address: 2112 Iberville Street, New Orleans, LA 70112
J.Crew Shops at Canal Place #775
- Address: 333 Canal Street Suite 124, New Orleans, LA, 70130
JOBCORPS of New Orleans
- Address: 8825 Airline Highway, New Orleans, LA 70118
FINRA
- Address: 1100 Poydras Street, Suite 850, New Orleans, LA 70163
Banfi Wines at Republic National Distributing Company New Orleans
- Address: 809 Jefferson Highway, New Orleans, LA 70121
Banfi Wines at RNDC New Orleans
- Address: 809 Jefferson Highway, New Orleans, LA 70121
Hearts of Compassion Ministry
- Address: 413 W Cedar St, Durant, MS 39063
United Purposes
- Address: 406 Prairie Ave, Eutaw, AL 35462
Waterfront Rescue Mission-Pensacola Campus
- Address: 380 W Herman St, Pensacola, FL 32505
Black Girls Rock of MS, Inc.
- Address: 224 Ms Highway 182, Starkville, MS 39759
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.
