By guest blogger Nicole Baade

As winter approaches, I’ve been thinking about how cold it’s getting outside, which makes me grateful for my home, warm clothes & heat. Not everyone has access to these three basic things, and this winter will be especially hard. Many organizations rely on winter coat drives to provide for the needy but, due to Covid, most of these events have been cancelled. It breaks my heart to think of all those who will go without.

You can donate to the YouthCare coat drive via:

Amazon Wish list

Donating a new or gently-used coat

Donate any amount via Venmo or CashApp

I’ve decided to team up with Seattle’s YouthCare to help offset the need for coats this winter. I’ve preloaded an Amazon Wishlist with different sizes and prices of winter coats which allows anyone to purchase a coat to donate. This wishlist gives the ability to select my address at time of purchase, and I will facilitate getting all donations to YouthCare.

Likewise, if you’re in the Seattle area and have any new or gently-used and washed coats (any size!), I’d be happy to come pick them up from your porch (no-contact) – just reach out to me directly via Instagram (or message Keridwyn and she’ll put us in touch).

If a full coat isn’t in your budget but you still want to help, I’m also accepting donations via Venmo (@nicole-baade) and CashApp ($NicoleBaade).
When we all help a little, we can cover a lot of ground. Thank you for helping this be a warmer year for those in need!

YouthCare’s Mission: “YouthCare works to end youth homelessness and to ensure that young people are valued for who they are and empowered to achieve their potential.”