Donate your old coats to help those in need

Flickr user chickencat

For the past two decades Beaufort's Furniture Warehouse Design Gallery has tried to help those in need avoid the costly expense of having to buy a winter coat.

That effort continues this year with FWDG's 22nd Annual Coat Drive.

"There are hundreds of families in Beaufort County who need warm coats and jackets, and we encourage people to look through their closets for the Coat Drive. Those in need will be thankful," said Larry Mark, president of FWDG and co-founder with his wife Robyn of the Coat Drive.

Over the past two decades, the FWDG Coat Drive has shared more than 39,000 coats with Beaufort County families. FWDG has once again chosen HELP of Beaufort, Bluffton Self Help and the Deep Well Project on Hilton Head to distribute the donations to families in need -- so that donations help local residents.

Outerwear donated to northern Beaufort County locations are distributed to area families through HELP of Beaufort; items donated to drop-off sites in Bluffton and Hilton Head stay in those communities.

Jackets, coats and sweaters can be dropped off at all local collection sites through December 31.

"Recycling these coats is good for our environment, but more importantly, it's good for our community," Mark said. "No one likes to be chilly or cold, and most families have at least one coat, jacket or sweater that hasn't been worn for a few seasons or has been outgrown," he said.

Donations can be dropped off now through Dec. 31 at the following local locations:

  • FWDG, Perimeter Walk, 745 Robert Smalls Parkway, (Hwy 170), Beaufort
  • Beaufort County BB&T branch offices:
  • Beaufort, 95 Port Republic Street
  • Bluffton, 2 Burnt Church Road
  • Hilton Head Main Branch, 1008 William Hilton Pkway Unit A
  • Lady's Island, 1 Kemmerlin Lane
  • Carolina Stamper, 203A Carteret Street, downtown Beaufort

Business, civic clubs, churches and other organizations often hold Coat Drive blitzes from one day to several weeks within their organization. They can designate a central coat collection point at their business or organization. For information, please call Larry Mark at 524-8695.

The Coat Drive was started 22 years ago by the Marks, longtime Lowcountry residents and business owners. Located at 745 Robert Smalls Parkway in Beaufort, one mile east of the Broad River Bridge, FWDG at Perimeter Walk is the only one-stop-shop for home furniture and fixtures in Beaufort.

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