Give a Coat to the Needy for the Holidays

With Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice, Christmas and Kwanzaa either just past or nearly here, we are up to our eyeballs in the traditional season of joy and wonder. But while we are basking in family love and shopping for presents in our nice, warm coats, those who are un- or under-employed, on fixed incomes, dealing with illness or disability or beset by bad luck, there is little joy, nearly no wonder—only bone-chilling cold and the constant threat of illness or death. But you can change that, just by giving away an old coat of yours to someone less fortunate who needs and deserves something warm to wear.

The coolest thing about this time of year is that it's also the season of giving and generosity. With that in mind, what follows is a list of locations in the area accepting donations of coats for those in need. Grab your unneeded jackets, peacoats, slickers, parkas, trenches, what have you, and head to one of these sites to make, as the United Way calls it, a gift of warmth for the holidays. Trust us, not only is it better to give than to receive, it feels better when one gives.

COAT DONATION EFFORTS

1.  United Way/NJ Herald's "Gift of Warmth" Campaign Drop-Off Sites

• Lakeland Bank  Morris and Sussex county branches
• First Hope Bank, 161 Newton-Sparta Road, Andover
• Fonzarelli's, 24 Route 206 North, Augusta
• Clear Channel WSUS, 45 Mitchell Ave., Franklin
• Toyota World of Newton, 66 Hampton House Road, Hampton
• Firefox Energy, 191 Route 15, #105, Lafayette
• New Jersey Herald, 2 Spring St., Newton
• Holiday Inn Express, 8 North Park Drive, Newton
• Intercar Mercedes Benz of Newton, 92 Hampton House Road
• Tri State Rentals, 105 Sparta Ave., Newton
• PB&J Store, 219 Spring St., Newton 
• Sussex Honda, 57 Hampton House Road, Newton
• First Hope Bank, 220 Woodport Road, Sparta
• Highlands State Bank, 351 Sparta Ave., Sparta
• R. Poust Heating & Cooling, 27 Wilson Drive, Suite F, Sparta
• Realty Executives, 54 Woodport Road, Sparta
• Weichert Realtors, 92 Woodport Road, Sparta
• Highlands State Bank, 310 Route 94, Vernon

For more information about the United Way/NJ Herald coat drive, call 973-579-3040.

2.  Jersey Cares Coat Drive (runs through Feb. 7, 2014)

• Boonton Twp. Municipal Bldg., 155 Powerville Road, Boonton  
• Bright Horizons at Chester, 245 Main St., Chester 
• Morris Twp. Municipal Bldg., 50 Woodland Ave., Convent Station 
• The Reformed Church in Kinnelon, 155 Kinnelon Road, Kinnelon
• Madison Area YMCA, 111 Kings Road, Madison, 973-822-9622 
• Morris Animal Inn, 120 Sand Spring Road, Morristown
• Mt. Arlington Borough Hall, 419 Howard Blvd., Mt. Arlington
• Parsippany Presbyterian Church, 1675 Route 46 East, Parsippany
• Edward Jones, 597 Newark Pompton Turnpike , Pompton Plains 
• John Johnson Auto Group, 383 Route 46 West, Rockaway
• Atlantis Energy,  344 Route 46,  Rockaway
• Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, 41 Green Pond Road, Rockaway 
• Church of the Transfiguration, 9 Two Bridges Road, Towaco 
• Hanover Twp. Municipal Bldg., 1000 Route 10 Whippany
• Wayne Police Athletic League , 1 PAL Drive, Wayne 

To host your own Jersey Cares coat collection site, please register online.

3.  Other area drives

Art in Motion (drive runs till 12/21), 364 Speedwell Ave., Morris Plains

Fine Dental Care (drive runs till 12/18), 600 Valley Road, Wayne

Know of other nearby coat drives? Please share them below in the comments.