Coat drives near Springfield
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 Springfield 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.
Gateway Branson
- Address: 3522 Keeter Street Suite Q-432, Branson, MO 65616
Dillon Chapter #16 Order of the Eastern Star
- Address: 210 E Warner St 10288 Outer Rd, Leadwood, MO 63664
MSSU Omicron Delta Kappa
- Address: 3950 E. Newman Road, Joplin, MO 64801
Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Missouri
- Address: 317 Comingo Ave, Joplin, MO 64801
The Next Step-Joplin
- Address: 833 South Main Street, Joplin, MO 64801
Souls Harbor
- Address: 1206 N 2nd St, Rogers, AR 72756
Huntsville First Baptist Church
- Address: 805 Skyline Dr, Huntsville, AR 72740
Love Light Christian Center
- Address: 312 N maple Ave, Tahlequah,Ok 74464
Smith Local volunteer Family Group 1003 N El Paso Ave Russellville
- Address: AR 72801
Our House - Caring for Callaway's Homeless
- Address: 829 Jefferson St, Fulton, MO 65251
J.Crew - Town Center Crossing
- Address: 4537 West 119th Street, Leawood, KS 66209
Creative Innovative
- Address: 11301 E 49th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, MO 64133
Disciples of Christ Ministries International ♻️
- Address: 3943 Benton Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64130
CAPCA Head Start
- Address: 707 N. Robbins St. Ste. 118, Conway, AR 72032
Renewed Hearts
- Address: 10112 E. Truman Rd, Independence, MO 64052
