coat drive

The Livingston Coat Drive rolled out its new Personal Shopping for the Homeless initiative last week, "and the special campaign is already off to a strong start," said Coat Drive founder and coordinator Jeff "The Coat Guy" Friedman.
"Generous and innovative Livingston residents recently took advantage of major coat sales, happening right now at area stores," Friedman explained. "They purchased winter coats and family accessories to be distributed by volunteers from our local Coat Drive. Because of their generosity, homeless individuals, mostly men, received these life-saving items outside of Penn Station in Newark, on the streets, and at OAR (Newark Offender Aid and Recovery), a prisoner re-entry program and long-time Coat Drive distribution partner."

The Livingston Coat Drive has begun a new initiative in keeping with its mission of "providing warmth to the poor, homeless and disenfranchised." Explained Jeff Friedman, the Coat Drive's founder and coordinator, "It's all about evolution for the Coat Drive. Similar to the developmental stages of most outreach projects, our local coat drive continues to grow and expand in ways never visualized. I'm more than pleased to report that a new trend has emerged across Livingston in recent weeks. I'm labeling this new trend 'Personal Shopping for the Homeless.' "

With the holidays coming to an end, the real work of the Livingston Coat Drive is really beginning, says founder and coordinator Jeff "The Coat Guy" Friedman. "The holidays are a time of great generosity and giving… Also a time when the needs of poor, homeless and disenfranchised come to the forefront," he notes. "The holidays are over, but the severe plight of the not-so-rich-and-famous continues and is even worse now due to the really cold weather finally coming. So the Livingston Coat Drive is respectfully asking those who have not yet donated to do so immediately."
In the meantime, Friedman recounts two very touching instances of generosity this Coat Drive season.

With an expanded volunteer workforce, the Livingston Coat Drive, thus far, has been able to make 15 deliveries to multiple distribution partners, announced its founder and coordinator, Jeff "the Coat Guy" Friedman of Livingston. At press time, he predicted that a total of 1,000 coats and hundreds of men’s suits and sport jackets, along with many bags of winter accessories, including scarves, hats and gloves, will have been delivered by this Friday, December 18.

"With temperatures dropping into the 30s at night, those on the street in neighboring communities need our help more than ever," notes Jeff "The Coat Guy" Friedman, founder and coordinator of the Livingston Coat Drive.
"The Livingston Coat Drive requests gently used or new winter coats along with hats, gloves and scarves," adds Friedman. "We are also accepting men's business clothes this season."
The Coat Drive traditionally delivers large loads of donated coats to distribution partners in Newark and East Orange. However, this week for the first time, the Coat Guy handled an on-site donation to a family in economic trouble.

"The stats are in, just in time for the first December edition of the West Essex Tribune. The Livingston Coat Drive has donated some 714 coats, along with 145 men’s suits, sport jackets and dress slacks in 11 deliveries, totaling 859 gently used and new garments," announced Jeff Friedman, Coat Drive founder and coordinator. Friedman, known affectionately as "the Coat Guy," noted that the count does not include shirts and ties.
The new effort in collecting men's business attire has been very successful, Friedman added, explaining that the clothes help recipients make a good impression at job interviews. Just recently, 84 men's suits were delivered to the North Reformed Church in Newark.
"At this time last year, the total stood at 523 coats in five deliveries," Friedman said. "We were not 'officially' handling men's business attire last season. The reality was another story. Many fine suits and men's dress items passed through our hands on their way to others."

Generous Livingston residents stepped up during the Livingston Coat Drive’s “150 Men’s Coats in Five Days” campaign for a distribution event conducted by Samaritan Outreach Services (SOS) of Newark. As the Tribune went to press Tuesday morning, Coat Drive founder and coordinator Jeff Friedman reported that he had collected a total of 133 coats “and counting,” and, with a few more last-minute pick-ups scheduled that morning, fully expected to meet or exceed the 150-coat goal by the time the SOS delivery truck arrived at his home Tuesday afternoon.
The total, Friedman noted, included coats from Livingston resident Dr. Gary Hecht, who collects winter coats and accessories at his professional office in Springfield. The warm coats and accessories were given to those most in need on Tuesday evening, November 24, in Newark. The Coat Guy has welcomed SOS as the Livingston Coat Drive's most recent distribution partner. Samaritan Outreach Services is a recognized 501c3 charity.

A new and immediate need has been brought to the attention of Jeff "The Coat Guy" Friedman, founder and coordinator of the Livingston Coat Drive. Samaritan Outreach Services (SOS), a recognized 501c3 charity, needs 150 men’s coats for distribution to the homeless on Tuesday evening, November 24. SOS, along with its many other philanthropic endeavors, operates a facility on Springfield Avenue in Newark that provides food and clothing to the homeless and poor. Its November 24 community coat distribution will occur at that location. "This is an immediate need," notes Friedman. "SOS needs these coats by Tuesday – just five days away!"

The Livingston Coat Drive, founded and coordinated by Livingston resident Jeff "the Coat Guy" Friedman, is continuing its mission of "providing warmth to the poor, homeless and disenfranchised." The Coat Drive is now in its fifth year of collecting new and gently used winter coats and accessories, and has added men's business wear to its collection. These items are delivered to multiple Newark distribution partners to help clients dress appropriately for job interviews.
"Although we are all enjoying the relatively temperate weather, the forecast calls for evening temperatures in the 30s," said Friedman. "Some rake leaves, others prepare their homes for winter and still others take out their winter clothes. The Livingston Coat Drive requests that our friends and neighbors be aware of excess or unneeded coats, winter accessories, and men’s business wear for donation to those who truly have nothing. Why not reallocate resources?"

The Livingston Coat Drive, during its first month of operation, has collected and delivered more than 300 coats. "Our total number of winter coats donated and delivered this season, so far, is 319," noted Coat Drive founder and coordinator Jeff "the Coat Guy" Friedman of Livingston. "Additionally, we've gotten lots of accessories, along with the highest quality men's suits, sports jackets and ties."