JOY Soup Kitchen collects donations of cold weather clothing

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - We’ve talked a lot about toy donations for kids this Christmas, but while it’s important to make the holidays special by giving gifts, others are struggling to just take care of basic needs.

WITN talked to groups in our area trying to meet that need. As the weather cools, we bundle up and stay inside, but the comfort of home isn’t free.

That’s why JOY Soup Kitchen is collecting donations of pretty much anything people can use to keep warm - supplies everyone can use as lows are predicted to hit the teens in Greenville this weekend.

Bobbie Staten said she enjoys coming to JOY for the fellowship and resources. “The thing about JOY Soup Kitchen is they do not discriminate, so it’s not based on your name or even your income,” Staten said. “If you feel the need, you go and receive.”

Charniece Harris also stopped at JOY on Tuesday. She’s traveling around the east on behalf of Truist and her nonprofit House of Hugs for women and children. “I have been homeless before, and so I always look for ways to give back,” Harris said.

It’s not what you picture unwrapping on Christmas morning, but things like blankets, gloves and waterproof bags mean a lot to those exposed to the elements. “I know some people that are in transit. They have to carry stuff with them, so that was part of the thought process of providing them with this as well.”

Knowing what to give can start with putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.

“What do you need to go outside and be comfortable in? Okay, we don’t need the frilly, flashy, ‘blinged’ items,” said Quigley. “We just need some scarves, some hats, some gloves.”

Quigley wants people to remember that no matter the reason someone needs help, they’re deserving of it. “I know what it’s like to be living outside when you’re cold, and then if you add a little rain to that, it’s a miserable feeling,” he explained. “And if we can alleviate a little of that for somebody, that’s what we’re supposed to be doing right now.”

These donations aren’t necessarily considered Christmas gifts. They’ll be passed out in January. If you want to give, you can find JOY at 700 Albemarle Avenue in Greenville.

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