SUNBURY, Pa. -- Employees at the Greater Susquehanna Valley YMCA in Sunbury organized coats and winter accessories on Monday, getting ready for the Y's 15th annual winter coat drive.
"I'll have somebody stop me and say, 'When is the coat drive? You guys are doing that again this year, right?' I'm like, 'Yes, absolutely we're doing the coat drive again,'" said membership director Katrina Mouery.
The coat giveaway is held the week of Thanksgiving each year at the YMCA in Sunbury. Hundreds of people stand in line to get a free coat.
Organizer Katrina Mouery says what the "Y" needs are donations.
"We always have such a great need in our community for more kids' coats, so my goal this year is not to run out of kids' coats."
Mouery says the goal is to collect more than 600 kids' coats. Every year they run out and have to turn people away. YMCA employees do not want to do that because people depend on the coat drive.
"I live in the acres. That is what you'd call the low-income place. It's a lot of people there, not only in the acres, but in the whole town," said Nivea Colon.
Colon is a longtime member of the YMCA and always donates coats. This year, she will volunteer as a translator to help the Spanish-speaking members of the community find coats.
"It's good to have somebody that they can ask what you need, where to go, how many coats to get."
The Greater Susquehanna Valley YMCA coat drive is from November 19 to November 21. If you'd like to drop off winter coats or accessories you can do that at the Sunbury, Mifflinburg, Lewisburg or Milton branches of the YMCA.