Coat drives near Lake Charles
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 Lake Charles 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.
Port Cities Rescue Mission Ministries
- Address: 535 Atlanta Avenue, Port Arthur, TX 77640
Phenomenal Tax Slayer
- Address: 321 Travis Street, Door B, Lafayette, La. 70503
Heart of Refuge
- Address: 627 4th ave N Texas City, Tx, Texas City, TX 77590
Kathryn Zavala's House
- Address: 15402 Palm Grass Ct, Houston TX 77059
Hope Through Housing
- Address: 831 Wilson Road Community Room, Humble, TX 77338
Rainbow Housing Assistance Corp.
- Address: 7373 N Wayside Dr, Houston, TX 77028
Empact Community Services
- Address: P.O. Box 62064, Houston, TX 77205
Nurturers of Love Youth Choices
- Address: PO Box 670086, Houston, TX 77267
Rainbow Youth Center ♻️
- Address: 3700 Watonga Blvd #2413 2413, Houston, TX 77092
HISD - Wraparound Services
- Address: 1417 houston ave, Houston, TX 77007
The Baby Stewart Foundation
- Address: 3229 Taylor St, La Marque, TX 77568
Lord of the Streets
- Address: 3401 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77004
Choice And Chance Center For Change
- Address: 4815 Reed Rd, Houston, TX 77033
Highland Heights ES Wraparound
- Address: 865 Paul Quinn St, Houston, TX 77091
New Life Resort Inc
- Address: 5100 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002
