Coat drives near Erie

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 Erie 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.

Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania (Erie)
- Address: 406 West 8th Street, Erie, PA 16502

Community Shelter Services
- Address: 655 W 16th St, Erie, PA 16502

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants / Erie Field Office ♻️
- Address: 517 East 26th St., Erie, PA 16504

Center for Family Services, Inc.
- Address: 213 W Center St, Meadville, PA 16335

Saving Grace Outreach,
- Address: 11 Washington St, Cattaraugus, NY 14719

Salvation Army Tillsonburg ♻️
- Address: 155 Broadway St, Tillsonburg, ON N4G5J9

Youngstown Community Food Center Inc. ♻️
- Address: 94 Pyatt St, Youngstown, OH 44502

Buffalo City Mission
- Address: 100 E Tupper St, Buffalo, NY 14203

Faith Community Worship Center
- Address: 26300 Brush Ave, Euclid, OH 44132

International Institute of Buffalo
- Address: 864 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, NY 14209

Hearts for the Homeless of WNY
- Address: 890 Tonawanda St, Buffalo, NY 14207

Catholic Charities of Buffalo ♻️
- Address: 2636 West State Street, Suite 301, Olean, NY 14760

ClearView Community Church
- Address: 22639 Euclid Avenue, Euclid, OH 44123

BUILD Community School
- Address: 340 Fougeron St, Buffalo, NY 14211

Hearts for the Homeless
- Address: 1932 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14211