Help Needy SouthCoast Residents Brave the Cold With Coats

The SouthCoast has been pretty fortunate so far this season. While we have been hit with a little snow paired with some frigid temperatures, we dodged a good chunk of that in December. We all know, however, that we'll have to pay the piper in January and February.

Bone-chilling temperatures are inevitable over the next couple of months.

For a lot of people who live here on the SouthCoast, the level of exposure to cold temperatures is relatively small. It's a matter of running from your front door to what can often be an already warmed-up car, then walking from your toasty car to an already warm school or office.

A good majority of us could conceivably squeak through winter without worrying too much about being equipped with a winter jacket.

However, there are people here on the SouthCoast for whom a warm jacket is everything, maybe the difference between life and death.

Too many children here on the SouthCoast face a winter without a proper winter coat. If temperatures are above freezing, school children are often sent outside for recess.

Some adults work in industries such as construction or fishing. They are very much exposed to the elements, but can't always afford warm jackets.

Finally, the SouthCoast's homeless population is often in need of jackets. It's unthinkable that someone would spend hours or days outside in freezing temperatures, but it happens on our local streets.

Thankfully, several businesses from Cape Cod, the SouthCoast and Rhode Island are designated drop-off centers for coat drives.

Here are some places you can drop off coats you don't need anymore and feel good about a good deed: