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- The Warm Bodies Warm Souls drive collected over 560 bags of clothing statewide.
- Donations, including $10,040 in cash, were distributed to 15 Utah charities.
- Significant donations went to the Pamela Atkinson Resource Center and Road Home.
SALT LAKE CITY — With the official start to winter in Utah steadily approaching, the need for thick layers of clothing becomes more and more dire. This is especially true for those experiencing homelessness or families who simply don't have the means to purchase clothing that can withstand bitterly cold temperatures.
Since 2011, the Warm Bodies, Warm Souls winter clothing drive has brought communities across the state together to help hundreds of Utahns in need.
Items such as gently used coats, hats, scarves, gloves and other winter essentials were collected at Bank of Utah, Arctic Circle and Red Hanger locations all over the state, from Nov. 3 to Nov. 21.
"There are some fantastic people that look forward to this drive every single year and will bring not only just clothing items that they have, but, like hand-knitted hats and gloves," said Megan Kenley, marketing manager at Bank of Utah.
In its 13th year, the clothing drive collected more than 560 bags of warm clothing, in addition to $10,040 in cash donations — both to be distributed among 15 partner charities, serving families from Logan to St. George, a news release stated. Some of the contributions have been reaching their final destinations this week.
A significant share of the amassed donations was delivered on Wednesday to the Pamela Atkinson Resource Center in Salt Lake City. The delivery signaled the impact of the annual winter clothing drive in a time of need for many Utahns.
"The need is always there, especially when it starts to get to be the colder winter months. And so we want to be there for them in any way that we can," Kenley said.
The Road Home's Men's Resource Center also received a portion of the contributions; representatives from Check City delivered piles of coats to the facility on Tuesday.
Rachel Felton, a marketing specialist at the Road Home, said it was one of the biggest donations they've seen in quite some time.
"Every year's been incredible, but this was… I thought they were done, and they weren't even halfway through," she said.
Felton said donations will go out to people right now and help sustain the Road Home for the next few months.
Kenley said seeing the spirit of giving on full display through Warm Bodies, Warm Souls is humbling. She added it's inspiring to know that the compassion and generosity of so many people will benefit communities throughout Utah.
"There's a lot of love and heartfelt thought that goes into these donations," Kenley said.
