Coat drives near Wichita Falls

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 Wichita Falls 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

Freedom House
- Address: 1149 Fort Worth Hwy, Weatherford, TX 76086

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

Guyer High School Student Council
- Address: 7501 Teasley Ln, Denton, TX 76210

2.7 Health & Fitness
- Address: 5429 Caribou Ridge, WATAUGA, tx 76137

Deka lash Crockett row
- Address: 837 Foch street, Fort Worth, Texas 76107

Jacqueline Kennedy Coats for Kids
- Address: 2450 Lakeside Pkwy Ste 150, Flower Mound, TX 75022

Christian Center of Fort Worth
- Address: 4301 Ne 28Th St, Haltom City, TX 76117

J.Crew University Park Village #774
- Address: 1604 South University Drive Suite #503, Fort Worth, TX, 76107

Grapevine Church of Christ
- Address: 525 N Park Blvd, Grapevine, TX 76051

Chemistry Club
- Address: 828 Harwood Road, NLIB Lobby (Library bldg)

BENDT Distilling Co.
- Address: 225 S. Charles Street, Lewisville, TX 75057

Thou Art My Sister Ministries
- Address: 3900 Meadowbrook Drive #220, Fort Worth, TX 76103-2602

International Leadership of Texas
- Address: 5901 Boca Raton Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76112

Amanda Long Real Estate | Compas
- Address: 560 Darian Drive, Prosper, TX 75078

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.