Coat drives near Medford

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 Medford 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.

Siskiyou Community Food Bank
- Address: 1601 S Oregon St Suite B, Yreka, CA 96097

Catholic Community Services - Springfield
- Address: 1025 G St, Springfield, OR 97477

Love INC of Benton County
- Address: 4900 Nw Highway 99 # 102, Corvallis, OR 97330

Bags of Love
- Address: 1052 Green Acres Rd, Eugene, OR 97408

California Closets Coat Drive
- Address: 937 NW Newport Ave, Ste 210, Bend, OR 97703

Embrace (Foundation for Affordable Housing) OR
- Address: 69 Newport Ave Suite #200, Bend, OR 97703

Trillium Family Services
- Address: 4455 NE Hwy 20, Corvallis, OR 97330

Preserve Oregon's Coat Drive
- Address: 1201 Commercial Street SE, Salem, OR 97302

Salvation Army of Marion and Polk Counties
- Address: 1865 Bill Frey Dr Ne, Salem, OR 97301

Plumas Crisis Intervention And Resource Center
- Address: 591 Main St, Quincy, CA 95971

Atlantic Aviation
- Address: 14357 Keil Road Northeast, Aurora, OR 97002

Aadvanced Dental
- Address: 1508 Washington st, Oregon city, or 97045

California Closets Coat Drive
- Address: 22000 Willamette Dr, Ste 103, West Linn, OR 97068

California Closets Coat Drive
- Address: 17400 SW Upper Boones Ferry, Ste 245, Durham, OR 97224 (hours M-F 9-5)

Cotopaxi Bridgeport Village
- Address: 7379 SW Bridgeport Road, Tigard, OR 97224

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