Coat drives near Memphis
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 Memphis 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.
Urban Strategies Memphis Hope
- Address: 990 College Park Dr # 201, Memphis, TN 38126
Helping House of Memphis
- Address: 1286 Whitten Rd, Memphis, TN 38134
Keller Williams Realty
- Address: The Justin Lance Team, 5847 Getwell Road, B-1, Southaven, MS 38672
The Charleston Apartments
- Address: 2870 Gosling Circle West, Cordova, TN 38016
Mama's Kitchen
- Address: 3070 Highway 7, Lamar, MS 38642
Hope Charity Outreach
- Address: 427 Hwy315 W., Sledge, MS 38670
Mississippi coats4kidz
- Address: 457 Highway 6 E, Batesville, MS 38606
NIG's Closet
- Address: 569 Alex Gates Rd, Marks, MS 38646
Banfi Wines at Central Distributing
- Address: 2800 Vance St, Little Rock, AR 72206
Friendship Aspire Academy Arkansas
- Address: 3911 S. Hazel St., Pine Bluff AR, 71603
Awareness Center International-New G
- Address: 900 South Pine Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72204
Friendship Aspire Academy Arkansas
- Address: 3615 W. 25th St., Little Rock, AR 72201
Friendship Aspire Academy Arkansas
- Address: 3615 W. 25th, Little Rock, AR, 72209
God's Giving Service
- Address: 8501 Geyer Springs Road, Little Rock, AR 72209
Black Girls Rock of MS, Inc.
- Address: 224 Ms Highway 182, Starkville, MS 39759
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.