Coat drives near Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville 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.

Church World Service
- Address: 1403 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28403

Rise Up Youth
- Address: 202 N Roberson Street, Robersonville, NC 27871

Whiteville Alliance Church
- Address: 623 Warrior Trail, Whiteville, NC 28472

Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas
- Address: 108 Memory Plaza, Suite A, Whiteville, NC 28472

Divine Faith Baptist Church
- Address: 1366 Cokey Road, Rocky Mount, NC 27886

Church of the Living God Outreach Ministries
- Address: 27 Chesterfield Ct, Clayton, NC 27520

Peace Love &unity outreach Inc
- Address: 1509 Tadlock Avenue, Rocky Mount, NC 27801

Apple Moving
- Address: 3285 Natal St., Fayetteville, NC 28306

5770 Old Battleboro Rd. Battleboro
- Address: NC 27809

HAND-EE
- Address: 12254 Nc 210 S, Spring Lake, NC 28390

Impact NC
- Address: 5916 Rivercliff Court, Raleigh, NC 27610

Hearing Life
- Address: 3702 Sea Mountain Hwy, Suite B, Little River, SC 29566

Bethel Zion Ministries
- Address: 935 Green Sea Rd, Green Sea, SC 29545

With Love From Jesus Ministries
- Address: Po Box 37713, Raleigh, NC 27627

New Beginnings 4 U Inc.
- Address: 3905 Summer Pl, Raleigh, NC 27604

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