Coat drives near Cleveland
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 Cleveland 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.
West Side Catholic Center
- Address: 3135 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113
Catholic Charities of Cleveland
- Address: 7911 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102
Garfield Hts Church of Christ DBA Greater Heights Church of Christ
- Address: 2409 Willowdale Ave, Cleveland, OH 44109
Aayden's PLAYce Rescource and Development Center
- Address: 2130 Tucks Track, Cleveland, OH 44102-3876
Magnolia Clubhouse
- Address: 11101 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106
Father Michael Wittman Ozanam Center
- Address: 13824 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44112
Buddy Love Foundation
- Address: 3581 E 135Th St, Cleveland, OH 44120
Needs of Children
- Address: 3690 West 159th Street, Cleveland, OH 44111
Fuerst Automotive
- Address: 8116 Broadview Rd., Broadview Hts, OH 44147
J.Crew Crocker Park #677
- Address: 88 Main Street Space 1020, Westlake, OH, 44145
Crestwood High School
- Address: 10919 N. Main St., Mantua, Ohio 44255
Medina Health & Fitness Coat Drive
- Address: 3731 Stonegate Dr, Medina, OH 44256
J.Crew Summit Mall #780
- Address: 3265 W. Market Street Space #152A, Akron, OH, 44333
First United Methodist Church of Akron
- Address: 263 E Mill St, Akron, OH 44308
Haven of Rest Ministries
- Address: Po Box 547, Akron, OH 44309
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.