Coat drives near Bellingham

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 Bellingham 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.

The Lighthouse Mission Ministries
- Address: 910 W. Holly Street, Bellingham, WA 99999

Westwinds Community Church
- Address: 6331 176 St, Surrey, BC V3S 4E9

Options Community Services - Hyland House
- Address: 6595 King George Blvd., Surrey, BC V3W 4Z9

Phoenix Society
- Address: 13686 94A Ave, Surrey, BC V3V 1N1

Raincity Housing and Support Society
- Address: 9810 Foxglove Drive, Surrey, BC V3T 0P5

Tri-City Transitions Society
- Address: 402-2071 Kingsway Ave, Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 6N2

Hope For Freedom Society; Homeless Outreach and Advocacy
- Address: 3237 Liverpool Street, Port Coquitlam, BC V3B 3V5

Westcoast Family Centres
- Address: 2780 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5M 1Y8

Out of The Rain Youth Shelter
- Address: 2723 Quadra St., Victoria, BC V8T 4E5

The Salvation Army Belkin House
- Address: 555 Homer Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1K8

Covenant House-Vancouver
- Address: 1302 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 4K8

Cotopaxi Seattle Premium Outlets
- Address: 10600 Quil Ceda Blvd. Suite 916, Tulalip, WA 98271

Everett Public Schools ECEAP
- Address: 3900 Broadway, Everett, WA 98201

St Vincent de Paul North Sound Council
- Address: 6424 Broadway, Everett, WA 98213

Clothes for Kids
- Address: 16725 52nd Avenue West, Suite B, Lynnwood, WA 98037

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