Coat drives near Monroe

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 Monroe 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.

Hope charity outreach inc
- Address: 662-3881599 1300 kilbrew rd, Marks, MS 38670

Destiny Outreach ♻️
- Address: 6003 Financial Plz, Shreveport, LA 71129

1444 Wiggins Road
- Address: Jackson, MS 39209

M. W. ALEXANDER LIBRARY
- Address: 2525 ROBINSON ST. JACKSON, MS 39209

Medgar Evers Library
- Address: 4215 Medger Evers, Boulevard, Jackson, MS, 39213

Always Knowing the Truth
- Address: 1810 Highway 80 W, Jackson, MS 39204

Stewpot Community Service ♻️
- Address: 1100 W Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39203

H.O.P.E Missions Outreach
- Address: 1607 Springridge Dr, Jackson, MS 39211

Polishing Our Diamonds
- Address: P. O. Box 1, Durant, MS 39063

Hearts of Compassion Ministry
- Address: 413 W Cedar St, Durant, MS 39063

Gods Giving Services GGS
- Address: 8501 Geyer Springs Road, Little Rock, AR 72209

Friendship Aspire Academy Arkansas
- Address: 3615 W 25th St, Little Rock, AR 72204

Friendship Aspire Garland Elementary
- Address: 3615 W. 25th, Little Rock, AR 72204

Phenomenal Tax Slayer
- Address: 321 Travis Street, Door B, Lafayette, La. 70503

Mississippi coats4kidz
- Address: 443 Highway 6 E, Batesville, MS 38606