Many New Yorkers Without Coats, Organization Calling Out for Donations

New Yorkers are dusting off and buttoning up their winter coats, but many residents don't have the luxury of a warm jacket. 

A non-profit group, New York Cares, is hosting its annual coat drive to bring in winter clothing for those in need. The organization has received almost 100,000 requests for jackets, but Director Gary Bagley said they've taken in just over 8,000 coats. That's less than 35 percent of what they normally get this time of year. 

"[New York Cares] has turned up short of coats at several distribution events so far, where we've distributed 750 or 1,000 coats and still had more people waiting in line for a coat," said Bagley. "As you can imagine, that's heartbreaking."

Bagley said one reason donations have been low could be from the relatively mild November weather. 

Last year, New York Cares received about 123,000 coats when donations spiked after Superstorm Sandy. But Bagley said the need in New York City is large, even when there isn't a natural disaster. 

"[New York Cares] is trying to send out the message that the need is very, very great again this year," he said. "With the cold weather coming on, we need the coats as soon as possible."

Those interested in donating can do so at local police precincts, major transit hubs during rush hour, and at locations throughout the city that are listed online.