Coat drives near State College

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 State College 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.

Patton Borough Office
- Address: 800 4th Ave, Patton, PA 16668

Patton Public Library
- Address: 444 Magee Ave, Patton, PA 16668

St. Bernard Catholic Church
- Address: 148 7th Ave, Hastings, PA 16646

Hastings Public Library 304 Beaver St
- Address: Hastings, PA 16646

The Dance Den
- Address: 207 5th Ave, Hastings, PA 16646

Skip Program
- Address: 243 Ridgewood Dr, Millersburg, PA 17061

BHHS Chambersburg
- Address: 70 West King St, Chambersburg, PA 17201

Mechanicsburg Dental Associates Coat Drive
- Address: 500 Gettysburg Pike, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Bethesda Mission of Harrisburg
- Address: PO Box 3041, Harrisburg, PA 17105

DBA Academy of Arts & Development
- Address: 100 S 28th St, Harrisburg, PA 17103

WeServU Of PA
- Address: 100 S 28th St, Harrisburg, PA 17103

Cuddles for Kids
- Address: 420 Goucher St, Johnstown, PA 15905

Adams County Shelter-Homeless
- Address: 153 N Stratton St, Gettysburg, PA 17325

South Central Community Action Programs
- Address: 153 N Stratton St, Gettysburg, PA 17325

South Central Community Action Programs
- Address: 153 N Stratton Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325