With this season’s coat drive officially over, the Livingston Philanthropies has switched its focus to collecting toiletries for the poor, homeless, and disenfranchised. “Let the toiletries and cosmetics flow!” said Jeff Friedman, founder and director of Livingston Philanthropies.
“Although we’re officially done with the coat drive outreach, coat donations continue to arrive,” Friedman said. “Our total for this seventh season is now over 1,800 warm coats and jackets donated, along with a myriad of winter accessories and hundreds of hand-knit items created by the National Council of Jewish Women/Essex County Section knitting group. Teacher Jennifer Mortensen and her volunteering club at Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield were major contributors again this year, as well.”
With April underway, Friedman said, “it’s all about small size toiletries, new cosmetics, diapers in sizes 4, 5, and 6, and gently used men’s clothing.”