Coat drives near Hanford
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 Hanford 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 Mission at Kern County
- Address: Po Box 2222, Bakersfield, CA 93303
The Village
- Address: 234 Baker St Ste 6, Bakersfield, CA 93305
East Bakersfield High School
- Address: 2200 Quincy Dr, Bakersfield, CA 93306
Ignite Space
- Address: Mariposa, 4996 7th Street, Mariposa, CA 95338
Mountain Crisis Services
- Address: 5075 Hwy 140, Suite C, Mariposa, CA 95338
Mariposa Safe Families
- Address: 4983 8Th St, Mariposa, CA 95338
Mariposa County Library
- Address: 4978 10th Street, Mariposa, CA, 95338
Where the Wild Things Play
- Address: 5114 Bullion Street, Mariposa, CA 95338
Alliance For Community Transformations
- Address: 5079 Smith Rd, Mariposa, CA 95338
John C. Fremont Healthcare District
- Address: 5189 Hospital Rd,, Mariposa, CA, 95338
Farmers Insurance
- Address: 5102 Highway 140, Mariposa, Ca 95338
Little Shop of Ramen and The Local Grape
- Address: 5021 Highway 140, Mariposa, CA 95338
Mountain Fitness
- Address: 5041 Highway 140, Mariposa, CA 95338
Soledad Police Department
- Address: 236 Main St, Soledad, CA 93960
Rescue Mission Alliance Central Coast
- Address: 1207 N Mcclelland St, Santa Maria, CA 93454
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 395 metros.
