Again this winter, Albemarle County is running a coat drive to collect coats, jackets and sweatshirts. But that’s not all! The coat drive also is accepting donations of sweaters, shirts, socks, shoes, hats, scarves and gloves!

The drive is now open and will run through January 30, 2015. Some of the coats collected will go to the Hinton Avenue Clothes Closet, and others will go to Albemarle County schools that will distribute to neighbors in need.

Donations are being collected at the County Office Building-McIntire, Room 228. If your school is interested in participating in this great cause, please enlist the help of a “Coat Captain” at your school to help gather the donated coats. Then, please let Blake Abplanalp, Senior Project Manager in the County Office of Facilities Development, know that your school is participating. You can reach Blake by email at abplanalp@albemarle.org or by phone at 434-872-4501, ext. 73244.

Last year the successful coat drive managed to collect 401 coats. Please help us reach our 2015 goal of 500!