St. Joseph Salvation Army in need for more donations ahead of coat drive

By Kyle Schmidt

The Salvation Army Corps is asking the St. Joseph community for help as it prepares for its winter coat drive.

Pastor with the Salvation Army Corps Ron Key said donations can be made Monday through Friday at the main office on Seventh and Messanie streets.

”We ask if people donate, they at least have buttons there or the zippers work, if they have a hood on it, the hood is there, that is what we look for,” Key said. “If they come in and they cannot be zipped up, we won’t give them away.”

Last year, the organization gave away 520 coats to those in need. Anyone is eligible to receive winter coats and other items, which are given out along with the jackets.

”With the coat, they can get gloves and a hat and a scarf, things like that,” Key said. “We do give that along with that to help them better.”

The warehouse currently has about a couple hundred coats and is looking for more. When the giveaway starts, an individual can receive a voucher and pick out winter gear. An ID will be needed and another voucher can be picked up after a three month in-between period.

The voucher will ask how many people are in the family/need a coat and other information.

Fall gear is still available but will be put away once the weather is consistently cold.

”It’s not just the homeless, but it’s just somebody who needs a coat,” Key said. “They can come in and see. We may not have their size at that point, they may have to come back.”