Provided by River Center
With winter around the corner, the River Center in New Castle is collecting warm clothing donations as part of its community coat drive.
Since its inception in 2010, the local nonprofit has hosted outreach efforts from its life assistance program that offers financial assistance to families in need, to totes of hope, which provides healthy sack lunches and non-perishable food items to children weekly.
“We really serve the New Castle and Silt families that are primarily low income,” Heather Paulson, River Center executive director, said.
Now in its ninth year, collection boxes for this year’s community coat drive put on by the River Center, Salvation Army, Reach-Out Colorado and Canyon Cleaners have already gone out.
Those wishing to donate their gently used winter clothing items may do so by dropping them off at any collection box. Participating locations include: Alpine Bank in New Castle and Rifle, ANB Banks, Canyon Cleaners, Grand River Health, the New Castle Post Office, the River Center, Re-2 schools and the Workforce Center in Glenwood Springs.
“What we put in the distribution are coats, snow pants, hats, gloves and sweatshirts,” Paulson said. “It’s all hand me downs. We do ask though for nothing with holes.”
According to Paulson, donations do not need to be washed, as Canyon Cleaners will take care of that.
“There is a little bit more of a request for kids coats and snow pants,” Paulson said. “Those we can always use more of.”
Additionally, the community coat drive accepts donations for all ages from newborn to adult.
After cleaning all of the donations and sorting them by size, the community coat drive distribution day is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 2 at the Garfield County Fairgrounds’ North Hall, 1001 Railroad Ave., in Rifle.
“It’s open to the entire valley. Anybody can come and pick up what they need,” Paulson said. “But, we’re really trying to focus on families that need those winter coats because it’s putting a struggle on those families to go and purchase them.”
Last year the community coat drive received nearly 1,600 pounds of donations.
