Overwhelming Response To Third Annual Winter Coat Drive

Photo Credit: Office of Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker

Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker (D – Plainview) thanks the Jericho, Syosset, Plainview and Old Bethpage communities for their tremendous support of his third annual Winter Coat Drive for the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless.

The drive, which ran from Dec. 2 through 22, yielded nearly 120 bags filled with new and gently used winter jackets, as well as donations of other winter essentials like scarves, gloves, and hats. The Plainview-Old Bethpage, Jericho and Syosset Public Libraries and Always Orthodontics in Syosset served as drop-off points throughout the drive.

Founded in 1985, the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless began as a grassroots local advocacy effort to bring non-profits and other community partners together to unite around the cause of homelessness so that they could expand and enhance services to meet local needs. Over time, the Coalition has expanded services to align with local community needs and evidence-based strategies for addressing homelessness, including street outreach, housing navigation, system data management and outcomes tracking.

“The hundreds of winter coats and accessories that our community donated will serve two roles this winter. Not only will they protect some of Nassau County’s most at-risk residents from the bitter cold, each and every donation sends a powerful message that its recipient is cared for and there is hope for a brighter future ahead,” Deputy Minority Leader Drucker said. “The tremendous response to this effort fills my heart with gratitude and optimism for the New Year, and I thank all of our outstanding partners at Always Orthodontics and the Plainview-Old Bethpage, Syosset and Jericho Libraries for making this possible for a third consecutive year. May this be the first of many decisive acts we this year to combat homelessness and deliver assistance for people in need!”