DANVILLE, Pa. — Racks of hygiene products, food, and clothing fill the Good Samaritan Mission in Danville.
"We provide food for kids, beds for kids, clothing. We provide adult education workshops on poverty and how to break that cycle," said Carin Wharton, the mission's executive director.
The nonprofit primarily serves Montour County, but anyone can stop by its free clothing closet. Now that the temperatures are dropping, more people are requesting winter coats.
"Normally, this time of year, we have a lot of donations that come in from churches or other groups. This year we don't."
Wharton says the racks are empty of children's coats. Recently, she posted on social media asking for coats but hasn't received many.
"We're really, really short, and it's starting to get cold."
Recently, the Good Samaritan Mission had to turn away three families because they did not have their coat sizes.
"We wait for donations to come in. Hopefully, this interview will help, but if we didn't, we would take money out of our operating cost to purchase coats for those families," Wharton said.
Newswatch 16 ran into Mary Beyer from Danville, a Good Samaritan dropping off some coats.
"I'm glad I could do that. We actually have a donation bin at our church for community aid in Selinsgrove, but I do both places. I think it's important that you share your wealth."
Wharton says the nonprofit especially needs kids' coats in sizes 2T through 6T.
The Good Samaritan Mission is on the 500 block of Ferry Street in Danville. Donations can be dropped off Tuesdays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.