People Who Give a Damn: Beth Amodio of One Warm Coat on Kindness, Second Chances, and the Power of a Winter Coat
Think about the coats hanging in your closet.
There's probably one you reach for every winter. Maybe another you bought for a trip. A perfectly good jacket you haven't worn in three years. Possibly one that doesn't fit anymore but has somehow earned permanent residency on a hanger.
Now imagine not having a single coat warm enough to go outside.
For millions of people, staying warm isn't a question of which jacket to wear. It's whether there's a jacket to wear at all.
That's where One Warm Coat comes in.
What began in 1992 with one woman trying to donate one coat has grown into a nationwide nonprofit connecting people who have coats to spare with people who need them. The organization helps communities run coat drives, partners with local nonprofits, and gives millions of pieces of outerwear a second chance at doing what they were made to do.
It's a beautiful collision of two ideas we care about at Field Trip: taking care of people and taking care of the planet.
We spoke with Beth Amodio of One Warm Coat about the surprisingly powerful ripple effects of a simple donation, the growing need for warm clothing, and how a little kindness can open the door to something as fundamental as playing outside.
One Coat. One Question. One Big Idea.
Field Trip: One Warm Coat started with one person, one coat, and one very practical question: "How do I get this to someone who needs it?" What part of that origin story still guides the organization today?
Beth: One Warm Coat is a national movement born from one simple act of kindness.
In the fall of 1992, Lois Pavlow was seeking a solution. Living in San Francisco, she had an extra coat she no longer needed and wanted to give it to someone who could use the warmth. Unable to find an organization to accept her coat, Pavlow mobilized. She organized a coat drive the weekend after Thanksgiving in Union Square. For seven years, it remained a local once-a-year San Francisco tradition.
Then in 2001, Sherri Wood heard about a local weekend coat drive and was determined to turn it into a national movement. Sherri’s vision helped redefine how America thinks about coat donations today.
Thirty-four years later, One Warm Coat maintains a steadfast commitment to humanitarianism, volunteerism, and environmental sustainability, supporting more than 4,000 coat drives each year and partnering with 2,000 local nonprofits who distribute the coats to people in need.
The impact of one person and one coat still guides us today. In a world that often feels disconnected, One Warm Coat proves that the simplest act of kindness – sharing a coat you no longer need – can ripple outward to warm millions.
Why Simple Still Works
Field Trip: There's something beautifully straightforward about a coat drive. No complicated technology, no massive barrier to entry. Why do you think the idea has endured for more than 30 years?
Beth: While a coat may seem like a basic item, it plays a critical role in a person’s health, dignity, and ability to fully participate in daily life—whether that’s going to work, attending school, or simply being outside safely.
What makes our model unique is that we don’t just distribute coats—we empower communities to take action. Through our national network, individuals, schools, companies, and local organizations can easily host coat drives and directly support their neighbors. We provide the tools, infrastructure, and guidance to make that process simple and effective.
Each year, this community-driven approach allows us to distribute free coats to half-a-million people in need, keeping outerwear items out of landfills while sharing warmth and kindness. It’s a model that combines environmental responsibility with social impact, and it works because it taps into something powerful: people’s genuine desire to help when they’re given a clear and accessible way to do so.
The Little Things That Aren't Little at All
One story Beth shared stopped us in our tracks.
Not because it involved a dramatic rescue or some extraordinary act of generosity, but because it involved two children who couldn't go outside to play.
At Field Trip, we believe the outdoors is for everyone. But it's easy to forget that access to the outdoors isn't just about having a park nearby or knowing where to find a hiking trail.
Sometimes it's about having a coat.
Field Trip: Warmth is obviously physical, but it's also emotional. What have you heard from coat recipients that has stayed with you?
Beth: One story that has stayed with me is a young mother who arrived at a shelter with her two children, seeking support during a difficult time. When they were given warm coats, she became emotional. She shared that her children hadn’t been able to play outside during the winter because the lightweight hoodies they were wearing simply weren’t warm enough.
With proper winter coats, something as simple as going outside and playing suddenly became possible again. It was a small moment, but a meaningful one—restoring a sense of normalcy and childhood.
That story is a powerful reminder that what may seem like a basic item can have a very real impact on daily life. A warm coat doesn’t just provide physical protection—it creates opportunity, comfort, and dignity.
A Second Life for Your Coat
Of course, there's another side to this story.
Every coat that finds a new owner is also a coat that doesn't need to be replaced by a newly manufactured one. And every piece of usable clothing kept in circulation is one less item potentially heading for a landfill.
The environmental benefits of reuse aren't complicated, even if our relationship with buying new things sometimes is.
Field Trip: One Warm Coat sits at an interesting intersection of human need and environmental impact. How do you talk about reuse as both a kindness issue and a sustainability issue?
Beth: When One Warm Coat was founded in 1992, the focus was on providing warmth.
Through the Coat Drive Program, thousands of coat drives have been held, with more than 9 million gently worn coats being collected and redistributed to children and adults in need.
Several years ago, we realized our coat drives were doing more than providing much-needed warmth, they were also giving new life to outerwear that might otherwise have been discarded and ended up in landfills.
It’s always exciting to see the number of coats that are up-cycled each year, but it’s even more meaningful to think about more than half a million people receiving the gift of warmth along with the feeling of comfort and support from their community.
The Need Isn't Going Away
Field Trip: Has the need for coats changed in recent years? What are you seeing on the ground?
Beth: 37 million Americans — approximately 11% of the population — are currently living in poverty and struggling to afford basic necessities.
Last year, One Warm Coat facilitated the collection and distribution of nearly 500,000 coats through 5,300 coat drives. Despite this significant impact, 60% of our nonprofit partners reported they still did not receive enough coats to meet the needs of the people they serve.
And, the need continues to grow. Nearly 70% of our nonprofit partners reported serving more individuals last winter compared with the previous year due to ongoing economic uncertainty, rising inflation, increased unemployment, and reduced services resulting from government funding cuts.
There is a tremendous — and growing — need for coats.
Addressing the root causes of clothing insecurity requires a combination of awareness, action, and collaboration.
When Everything Feels Too Big, Start Small
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of problems that need solving. Climate change. Poverty. Waste. Inequality. The headlines don't exactly arrive with a convenient instruction manual.
But here's something we love about One Warm Coat: the barrier to making a difference is remarkably low.
You don't have to start a nonprofit. You don't have to be wealthy. You might not even have to leave your closet.
Field Trip: For people who give a damn but feel overwhelmed by everything wrong in the world, what makes coat donation such a powerful first step?
Beth: People are bombarded with so much content every day, much of it stressful or negative. They see that people are struggling and want to help, but don’t know where to start.
Donating a coat is a small act of kindness that makes a tangible impact. Many people start with donating a few coats and then organize their own coat drive and love it so much they continue it each year. We have coat drive organizers who have been teaming up with One Warm Coat for decades to provide warmth to people in their communities.
There are 3 ways each and every person can team up with One Warm Coat to make a difference:
Donate coats. Clean out your closets and visit our Donate Coats map to find a drop-off location nearby.
Hold a coat drive. Register on our website and One Warm Coat will provide all of the resources needed to hold a successful drive.
Make a financial contribution. Visit our website to make a gift. Every $1 donated warms 1 person.
Giving a Damn, Defined
Field Trip: What does "giving a damn" look like to you?
Beth: At its core, “giving a damn” is about ensuring that everyone has access to basic necessities, and that requires all of us working together to create sustainable, community-driven solutions.
First, we can work together to raise awareness that something as basic as a warm coat is not a given for many families. When people understand the impact—on health, school attendance, and overall well-being—they are more likely to take action. It’s as simple as cleaning out your closets and using our map to find a local place to donate your items.
Second, we can make it easy for individuals and organizations to participate by creating accessible, community-based opportunities. When people are given a clear and simple way to help, they show up.
Finally, stronger partnerships across sectors are essential. When nonprofits, corporations, and government agencies work together, we can respond more effectively to both ongoing need and moments of crisis, such as natural disasters.
Collaboration reduces duplication, maximizes resources, and ultimately allows us to serve more people with greater dignity and efficiency.
Your Closet Called. It Wants to Make a Difference.
There's something wonderfully uncomplicated about the idea that a coat can have more than one good life.
Maybe it kept you warm on a camping trip. Maybe it saw you through a particularly miserable winter commute. Maybe your kid wore it for exactly six weeks before growing three inches overnight.
Whatever its story, that coat could still have another chapter.
One where a child gets to play outside. Someone can get to work without freezing. A neighbor feels a little less alone.
And you get a little more closet space.
That's a pretty good deal for everyone.
Ready to pass along some warmth? Visit One Warm Coat to find a coat donation location, organize a coat drive, or support the organization's work.
People Who Give a Damn is a recurring Field Trip series highlighting folks who make a difference for the outdoors and the earth. Know someone we should meet? Drop us a line.
Field Trip participates in the 89% Project, an initiative encouraging more and better coverage of climate change and solutions. We believe stories about the planet should leave readers informed, empowered, and ready to make a difference.
