Coat drives near Eau Claire

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 Eau Claire 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.

St Croix Valley Restorative Services
- Address: 215 N 2Nd St Ste 108, River Falls, WI 54022

Valley Outreach
- Address: 1911 Curve Crest Blvd W, Stillwater, MN 55082

Rejuvenation MedSpa's Coat Drive
- Address: 1687 Woodlane Drive, Suite 104, Woodbury, MN 55125

St. Luke's Episcopal Church
- Address: 1884 22Nd St Nw, Rochester, MN 55901

The Sanneh Foundation - St. Joseph's
- Address: 2090 Conway St, Saint Paul, MN 55119

Rejuvenation MedSpa's Coat Drive
- Address: 2599 White Bear Ave, Maplewood, MN 55109

Guiding Star Wakota
- Address: 1140 South Robert Street, West St Paul, MN 55118

Continuum Care Center - St. Paul
- Address: 1 Water St W, Suite 210, Saint Paul, MN 55107

City of Little Canada
- Address: 515 Little Canada Road E, Little Canada, MN 55117

St. Jerome School
- Address: 384 Roselawn Ave E, Saint Paul, MN 55117

Resources, Justice & Management
- Address: 501 N Dale St, 204, Saint Paul, MN 55103

American Indian Education District #196
- Address: 14301 Diamond Path, Saint Paul, MN 55124

The Sanneh Foundation
- Address: 1276 University Ave W., Saint Paul, MN 55104

Frandsen Bank & Trust
- Address: 7303 161st St W, STE 100, Rosemount, MN 55068

Venture Academies
- Address: 315 27th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55414

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