Coat drives near Olympia

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 Olympia 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.

Family Support Center of South Sound
- Address: 3545 7Th Ave Sw Ste 200, Olympia, WA 98502

Apple Moving
- Address: 4421 98th Street Court SW, Suite B, Lakewood, WA 98499

Sabala International Center
- Address: 814 N L St #1, Tacoma, WA 98403-1733

Keurig Dr Pepper
- Address: 324 142nd Ave E, Puyallup, WA 98390

Multi-Serivce Center
- Address: P.O. Box 23699, Federal Way, WA 98093

Chaplains On the Harbor
- Address: 52 Arland road, Montesano, WA 98563

Diocese of Olympia Refugee Resettlement Office
- Address: 515 B Street NE, Auburn, WA 98002

Healthy Habits 4 Life DBA The Lighthouse Early Learning and Development Center
- Address: 100 N St Se, Auburn, WA 98002

Diocese of Olympia Refugee Resettlement Office
- Address: 1919 Auburn Way N, Suite 7, Auburn, WA 98002

Lutheran Community Services NW
- Address: 4040 S 188Th St Ste 100, Seatac, WA 98188

Kent Black Action Commission
- Address: 24914 109Th Pl Se Apt A, Kent, WA 98030

Valley View Early Learning Center
- Address: 17622 46Th Ave S, Seatac, WA 98188

Cotopaxi Southcenter
- Address: 261 Southcenter Mall Suite 656, Tukwila, WA 98188

Mical Williamson-Gray's Coat Drive
- Address: 6501 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98136

Peninsulators Inc.
- Address: 14520 Interurban Avenue South., Ste. D100, Tukwila, WA 98168

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