Coat drives near Knoxville

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 Knoxville 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.

Bridge Refugee Services Inc.
- Address: 4420 Whittle Springs Rd. Suite A, Knoxville, TN 37917

Sevier County Food Ministries
- Address: P.O. Box 6042, Sevierville, TN 37864

Western Carolina Rescue Ministries
- Address: Po Box 909, Asheville, NC 28802

Feed My Sheep Food Pantry
- Address: 118 S Main St, Burkesville, KY 42717

J.Crew Warehouse Row #813
- Address: 1110 Market Street Suite 114, Chattanooga, TN, 37402

The Next Door - Chattanooga
- Address: 108 Moccasin Bend Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37405

The Place
- Address: 2550 The Place Circle, Cumming GA Forsyth County, GA 30040

Anderson Interfaith Ministries - AIM
- Address: P.O. Box 1136 1202 S. Murray Avenue, Anderson, SC 29622

Ann Panzica's Coat Drive
- Address: 3803 Carter Road, Buford, GA 30518

Cross Atlanta
- Address: 2850 Old Atlanta Rd., Cumming, GA 30041

Jackson County HS
- Address: (Main Office), 152 Jaxco Jct, Hoschton, GA 30548

Desire Thy Portion, Inc.
- Address: 2025 Rocksram Dr, Buford, GA 30519

J.Crew Avalon #814
- Address: 3170 Avalon Blvd., Alpharetta, GA, 30009

Pro Edge Roofing
- Address: Call or text me to arrange drop off, Alpharetta, GA 30009

Hembree Springs Elementary PTA
- Address: 815 Hembree Rd, Roswell, GA 30076

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