The Livingston Coat Drive, part of the Livingston Philanthropies initiative founded by Livingston resident Jeff Friedman, is continuing to collect coats and winter accessories for the homeless in Essex County, and has been promoting a “Personal Shopping for the Homeless” project. “Our motto is, ‘If You See Something, Buy Something,’ ” Friedman says. “We’ve been encouraging residents to buy new clothing items for the homeless. For example, if you see coats or clothes on sale – or if you are shopping for something for your own family – grab one for a homeless person while you’re at it.”
Livingston Philanthropies, an “umbrella” initiative that includes the Livingston Coat Drive, Toiletries Challenge, and other collection efforts, is continuing to collect toiletries for the homeless. This week, Friedman and his team put together 40 shaving kits. “Our volunteers asked a few of the homeless guys what they need,” Friedman recounts. “The universal answer was razors. Through the very generous donations from several different Livingston residents, Coat Drive volunteers prepared 40 shaving kits. Each kit contains a shaving cream/oil product, two double-edge razors, and a fresh bar of soap.”
Friedman is also collecting men’s dresswear. “Some of our distribution partners maintain loaner closets of suits for homeless men to borrow and wear to job interviews,” Friedman notes. “All sizes, of course, are accepted, but large, XL, and XXL are especially needed, in both menswear and coats.”
Clothing Policy
Last week, Friedman (who is known affectionately as “The Coat Guy”) announced that, at least temporarily, he could no longer continue accepting used clothing items due to the large volume being donated. This week, he clarifies that position.
“I think I was unclear regarding the acceptance of clothing items,” he states. “Let me explain further. We are receiving all types of new clothing items with our ‘Personal Shopping for the Homeless’ initiative. I’ve seen, with store tags intact, gloves, hats, socks, underwear, shirts, sweatshirts and more. And that’s only from last week and early this week. The Livingston Philanthropies means to keep and expand this new clothing outreach.”
He continues, “It’s the huge array of other, previously-worn clothing garments, that are simply too much volume for us to handle, at least for now. I apologize for any confusion, if any.”
He emphasizes that the collection of coats, winter accessories, and men’s dress attire collection is continuing as usual and, “thanks to the generosity of Livingston’s residents, is thriving.”
“Other than the fact that we ...
