Coat drives near Lawton

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 Lawton 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.

Coats for Kids Lawton- UWSWOK
- Address: 22 SW D Ave Ste 1, Lawton, OK 73501

Lawton Food Bank
- Address: 1819 SW Sheridan Road 1819 SW SHERIDAN ROAD, Lawton, OK 73505

J.Crew - Penn Square
- Address: 1901 NW Expressway, Space 1033A, Oklahoma City, OK 73118

Nana's Closet Inc
- Address: PO Box 891885, Oklahoma City, OK 73189

Feed the Children - Oklahoma City
- Address: 333 N Meridian Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73107

Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City & Oklahoma / Canadian Counties, Inc.
- Address: 319 Southwest 25th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73109

OKC Compassion Inc
- Address: 2132 W Park Pl, Oklahoma City, OK 73107

Carl Albert Service Center
- Address: 1001 N Country Club Rd, Ada, OK 74820

The Umbrella of Family Services, Incorporated
- Address: 608 East Hickory Street, Suite 128, Denton, TX 76205

Our Daily Bread
- Address: 909 N. Loop 288, Denton, TX 76209

MOD Pizza: Cross Roads
- Address: 11650 US-380, Suite 400, Cross Roads, TX 76227

MOD Pizza: Roanoke
- Address: 1325 US-377, Roanoke, TX 76262

MOD Pizza: Prosper
- Address: 4780 W University Dr, Suite 10, Prosper, TX 75078

MOD Pizza: Saginaw
- Address: 4540 W Bailey Boswell Rd, Suite 180, Fort Worth, TX 76179

MOD Pizza: Alliance
- Address: 3101 Heritage Trace Pkwy, Ste 105, Fort Worth, TX 76177