Salvation Army collects winter apparel for Calgarians in need

Have a coat collecting dust in the closet? The Salvation Army is asking you to consider donating it to help someone in need.

The organization hosted a winter clothing drive Saturday to gather supplies. But members note the need is there year-round.

“Toques and scarves, mittens, boots, ski pants, anything to keep somebody warm, we’ll take it,” said Cliff Wiebe, executive director of Salvation Army Calgary.

As temperatures continue to plummet and Calgary braces for more snow in the weeks and months ahead, many people are without the necessary clothing items to stay warm.

“Winter hit hard, it hit fast, and many of the people that we serve who are experiencing homelessness or at our shelters or at our low-income housing just need coats, winter coats,” Wiebe added.

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Wiebe says there are also new Canadians who haven’t experienced an Albertan winter who need all the help they can get.

While donations piled up this weekend, the Salvation Army notes there’s still a large demand that hasn’t been met — one for men’s coats.

“It seems like men wear their coats until they’re kind of ready for the garbage and women go through coats a lot more and kids grow out of their coats. So we’re seeing a lot of women’s and kids’ coats coming in,” he said. “If you’re a guy out there, or a family, just dig into the back of the closet and find those guy’s coats, we’d really appreciate them.”

The Salvation Army accepts winter apparel donations throughout the season. It doesn’t matter whether the items are old or new, so long as they are in good condition — just like something you’d give to a loved one.

Calgarians can drop off items at the Salvation Army’s locations downtown and along 17th Avenue SW.