December sure did roll in today with cold winds! While the majority of us are wrapped up warm while we go about our business, we should take a moment to think about those in the city who are less fortunate. A warm coat isn’t a luxury in a New York winter, it’s a necessity of life, especially to those who are homeless or who have a home but have to decide between buying a coat or buying food. <br /><br />The New York Cares Coat Drive is an annual drive where New Yorkers can donate their lightly used coats to those in need. They estimate alone that 90% of homeless people in the New York area need a warm coat every winter, and distribute tens of thousands of coats to adults in need each year.<br /><br />How you can help<br />If you have a lightly worn, unneeded coat you’d like to donate, you can find a donation center at the <a href="http://www.newyorkcares.org/volunteer/holiday_volunteering/coat_drive/search_sites.php" target="new">New York Cares website. If you don’t have a coat to spare, you can contribute by donation or by volunteering at a collection center. <br /><br />In financial hardship? Need a coat?<br />More importantly, if you are in need of a warm coat this winter, you can go to Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station, or Port Authority Bus Terminal between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. until December 31st to receive a voucher to pick up a free coat from one of the distribution centers.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.newyorkcares.org/volunteer/holiday_volunteering/coat_drive/index.php" target="new">More information at NY Cares