Coat drives near Madison
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 Madison 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 Salvation Army - Madison
- Address: 630 E Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53703
Porchlight, Inc.
- Address: 306 N Brooks St, Madison, WI 53715
Prime Urban Properties
- Address: 1952 Atwood Ave, Madison, WI 53704
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
- Address: 102 E Lincoln Street PO BOX 196, Mt Horeb, WI 53582
Hope House of South Central Wisconsin
- Address: 720 Ash St, Baraboo, WI 53913-2138
Family Advocates
- Address: 305 N Iowa, 2Nd Floor, Dodgeville, WI 53533-1304
Community Connections Free Clinic
- Address: 101 E Fountain St, Dodgeville, WI 53533
Rockford Rescue Mission
- Address: 715 W State St, Rockford, IL 61102
Hope Center
- Address: 502 N East Ave, Waukesha, WI 53186
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Address: 504 E Diggins St, Harvard, IL 60033
J.Crew Mayfair #600
- Address: 2500 N. Mayfair Road #404, Wauwatosa, WI, 53226
Brim Cafe and Catering
- Address: Honey Creek Corporate Center, Lower Level, 125 S. 84th Street, Milwaukee, WI 5321
Joyce's House of Milwaukee Inc
- Address: 5601 West North Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53208
Woodstock Chevrolet Coat Drive
- Address: 2145 S Eastwood Dr, Woodstock, IL 60098
Mahogany CARES Foundation Inc.
- Address: 2342 N 27Th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53210
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.
