“Many adults and children struggle during the winter months because they are unable to afford proper cold-weather attire,” Lewis said. “With so many people struggling financially because of the pandemic, your coat and clothing donations matter more this year than ever.”
The coat drive was started 11 years ago after Lewis and his wife, Shelley, were sorting through their coat closet and realized that they had quite a few coats that they were not wearing.
So they decided to partner with the Springfield Salvation Army to recruit others in the community to donate their unused coats.
“Having a warm coat in the winter is something many of us take for granted,” Ryan Ray, development director for the Springfield Salvation Army said. “But there are far too many people lacking the funds to meet their families’ most basic necessities: food, shelter and clothing.”
In previous years, Lewis said Jackson Lytle & Lewis distributed coats through the Salvation Army, but this year, because of COVID-19, they had to find other outlets.
Now coats are being distributed through multiple places like Rocking Horse Community Health Center, Ark Children’s Rescue Center and local school districts.
Anyone wishing to donate coats for men, women or children can do so by dropping them off at Jackson, Lytle & Lewis Life Celebration Center located at 2425 N. Limestone St. in Springfield. Other types of outerwear, like sweaters, jackets, sweatshirts, hats and gloves are also accepted.
For more information, contact 937-399-2811.
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