Coat drives near Burlington, North Carolina
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 Burlington 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.
Millennium Sports Club
- Address: 3419 Hillsborough Road, Durham, NC 27713
FaithFire Worldwide Revival Ministries
- Address: Po Box 1953, Jamestown, NC 27282
The Ultimate Sacrifice
- Address: 5200 Cottonmill Ln, Jamestown, NC 27282
The Elite Dollz of Faith Inc
- Address: 1505 Duke University Rd, Durham, NC 27701
The Elite Dollz of Faith
- Address: 1505 Duke University Rd Apt 3A, Durham, NC 27701
J.Crew Streets at Southpoint #646
- Address: 6910 Fayetteville Road Space 155, Durham, NC, 27713
Open Table Ministry
- Address: 215 N Church St, Durham, NC 27701
Ignite Global Ministries
- Address: Po Box 608, Durham, NC 27702
Mt. Bethel UMC Fish & Loaves Food Pantry & Clothing Closet
- Address: 1605 Bahama Rd, Bahama, NC 27503
Durham Rescue Mission
- Address: Po Box 11858, Durham, NC 27703
Winston-Salem Rescue Mission
- Address: 718 North Trade Street, Winston Salem, NC 27101
J.Crew Crabtree Valley #531
- Address: 4325 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC, 27612
AventWest Children's Mentoring
- Address: 4900 Kaplan Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606
AventWest Children's Mentoring Program
- Address: 4900 Kaplan Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606
AventWest Children's Mentoring
- Address: P.O. Box 33253, Raleigh, NC 27636
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.