Coat drive aims to keep people warm

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – It’s pretty common for someone to show up at the Chattanooga Community Kitchen without that protective layer that keeps folks from shivering this time of year.

“You step outside right now, there’s a brisk wind and cold weather and you’ve got people who are coming in here everyday and don’t have a coat to them,” Chattanooga Community Kitchen Chief Operations Officer Jimmy Turner said.

On Friday, H&R Block in Chattanooga kicked off a coat drive.

They’re collecting new or gently worn coats.

“Knowing that there are people out there for whatever circumstance, it gets cold and just to think about that you can take a coat and give to someone else that’s in need and help them to stay warm,” H&R Block Chattanooga District General Manager Deborah Parham said.

The jackets will go to the community kitchen.

Turner said that there is great need for coats of all sizes.

“As quick as they’re coming in, they’re going out. So, the more we can get, the better we’ll be able to serve the people coming to us,” he said.

Turner said once they get the coats, they’ll be sorted out in their giveaway area which is also a thrift shop.

He said the shop is designed to be a giveaway program for the people who come to the kitchen.

“Each year we giveaway hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise to the people who come to us for help. Coats are included in that. Clothes are included in that, and all they do is come to us and they give us their name. Show us their ID and that’s how they pay for it,” Turner said.

H&R Block is hoping to collect at least 100 coats by next Friday.

If you have a coat to give, all you have to do is drop it off at any of the following H&R Block office locations in Chattanooga:

2200 Hamilton Place Blvd.

5337 Ringgold Road

4753 Hwy. 58