Salem Coat Drive Keeps Hundreds Warm This Winter

SALEM, MA — Hundreds of North Shore residents in need found free coats earlier this month through distribution at the St. Peter's/San Pedro Church in Salem.

Clothing collection company HELPSY provided warm jackets and outerwear, which were given out on Jan. 8.

"Even before I became priest here, there has been a HELPSY clothing collection bin on-site," Father Nathan Ives said.

Under the arrangement, HELPSY pays the church a rental fee to host a collection bin and the church can use that money to fund local projects. The church then switches from collecting the clothing to giving it away when it is most needed in December and January.

"HELPSY has really gone out of its way to make this event possible again this year," Rev. Nathan said.

HELPSY uses a combination of clothing drives, curbside pick-ups, and recycling bins to divert nearly 30 million pounds of textiles from landfills every year. In the process, HELPSY has helped to raise more than $10 million for non-profits and other organizations.

For more information about HELPSY, or to become a collection bin host or organize a fundraising clothing drive, contact info@helpsy.com.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)