A Gift of Warmth

One of the most incessantly distracting feelings is the feeling of being cold. It makes it difficult to focus on anything else. In fact, One Warm Coat Organization states that, “Even a 2-degree drop in body temperature results in reduced heart rate, loss of coordination, and confusion.” and that “Adults cannot work effectively and children find it difficult to learn.” With winter here and poverty and homelessness rates rising across the country, it is as important as ever to do what we can for those in need.

According to U.S. Census data from September 2011, close to 15 percent of Americans are living in poverty. Based on this increasing poverty trend and future economic trends, homelessness is expected to continue to rise. This indicates more people without access to comforts that many of us take for granted every day such as shelter and a way to keep warm.

“For most, a warm coat solves the problem,” says One Warm Coat, a nationwide organization that works with groups across the country to collect coats and give them to those in need. “But, for… Americans living in poverty, a warm winter coat is a budget ‘extra.’”

Homelessness and poverty are more personal to people than they are often aware of. There have been in the past and still continue to be students enrolled in the Albany Unified School District who have dealt with or deal with the issue of homelessness. Across the Bay Area, schools have become increasingly aware of the rise in homeless students and families.

If you have a warm coat that you can donate, there are numerous places to drop one off. The Albany Community Center, for instance, is collecting coats for One Warm Coat. There are also many, many more around the Bay Area.

Below is a partial list (for more information, go to http://onewarmcoat.org/donate/donate-a-coat):