Coat drives near Lynchburg
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 Lynchburg 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.
Club Pilates Roanoke
- Address: 1028 23rd Street SW, Suite 302, Roanoke, VA 24015
American Legion Post 3
- Address: 710 Apperson Dr, Salem, VA 24153
Church World Service
- Address: 250 E. Elizabeth St. Suite 102, Harrisonburg, VA 22802
J.Crew Short Pump #630
- Address: 11800 Broad Street Space #2144, Richmond, VA, 23233
Fresh Start for Single Mothers & Their Children (Velocity Church)
- Address: 3300 Church Rd, Henrico, VA 23233
Mt. Bethel UMC Fish & Loaves Food Pantry & Clothing Closet
- Address: 1605 Bahama Rd, Bahama, NC 27503
Destined and Designed by Faith Outreach Ministries
- Address: 2909 Matisse Ln, Richmond, VA 23224
Lending Helping Hands
- Address: 4015 Clodfelter Drive, Richmond, VA 23237-1942
Lifting Us Out
- Address: 2916 Chamberlayne Ave, Richmond, VA 23222
Millennium Sports Club
- Address: 3419 Hillsborough Road, Durham, NC 27713
The Elite Dollz of Faith
- Address: 1505 Duke University Rd Apt 3A, Durham, NC 27701
The Elite Dollz of Faith Inc
- Address: 1505 Duke University Rd, Durham, NC 27701
Open Table Ministry
- Address: 215 N Church St, Durham, NC 27701
Ignite Global Ministries
- Address: Po Box 608, Durham, NC 27702
The Hillsville Shop
- Address: 2664 old galaxy pike, Hillsville, VA 24343
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.
