A winter coat drive in Whitesboro is seeking new or gently used jackets for children and families in the Utica area. The Neighborhood Center and Accelerate Sports are collecting donations through Nov. 6, 2026, at Accelerate Sports, 5241 Judd Road, Whitesboro. The Winter Coat Drive in Whitesboro: Donate by Nov. 6 ensures that everyone can stay warm this winter.
The Neighborhood Center says it will distribute the donated coats in December through its Holiday Assistance Program. That gives donors several weeks to check closets for an outgrown coat or buy one for someone who needs it. The organization also lists a purchase option on its website for people who prefer to give an item directly.
Participate in the Winter Coat Drive in Whitesboro: Donate by Nov. 6 to help those in need.
Where the coats will go
The drive is aimed at children and families taking part in the Neighborhood Center’s holiday assistance work. Its press release says the coats will be handed out in December. It does not give an estimate of how many coats are needed or promise that every applicant will receive a particular size. Donors can help most by providing a usable winter coat that they would feel comfortable giving to a neighbor.
“We are incredibly grateful to Accelerate Sports for partnering with us this holiday season to help ensure children and families stay warm through our Holiday Assistance Program,” Jennifer Benn, the center’s director of development and public relations, said in the release.
Benn also said economic hardship can make it difficult for families to afford basic needs. A coat is one concrete need as temperatures fall in the Mohawk Valley. Children may have to wait outdoors for a bus, walk to school or travel between appointments and activities. The drive gives residents a direct way to share winter clothing before the coldest part of the season.
How to donate
Drop off new or gently used winter coats at Accelerate Sports, 5241 Judd Road, in Whitesboro, by Nov. 6. The release does not specify drop-off hours, sizes most needed or a separate collection address. Before making a special trip, donors may want to check the Neighborhood Center’s website or call its main number, 315-272-2600, for the latest details.
The center’s home page confirms the coat drive, the Whitesboro drop-off site and the Nov. 6 deadline. It also links to a shopping option for those who would rather purchase an item than bring a coat from home. People should use the link from the organization’s own site to make sure they reach the current wish list.
A local holiday assistance effort
The Neighborhood Center has served families in the Utica area for generations. Its current work includes child care and family services, behavioral health care and crisis services, according to its website. The coat collection is one part of its seasonal assistance, not a stand-alone promise of cash aid or a public giveaway at the Whitesboro site.
For someone donating, the deadline is important. The collection ends Nov. 6, while distribution is planned for December. That gap gives the nonprofit time to organize the donated clothing and connect it with families in the holiday program. The center has not listed a public distribution date in this release.
There is room for individual neighbors, schools, workplaces and community groups to take part. A family may have one coat that no longer fits. A group may choose to gather several. Both kinds of donations fit the call for new or gently used winter coats. The partners have not announced a cash fundraising goal for this drive, so it is best to focus on the item being requested.
Anyone who needs holiday assistance should contact the Neighborhood Center directly for program information and eligibility. Dropping off a coat at Accelerate Sports is a donation process, not an application for services. The official site lists the center’s contact number and its broader family programs.
In a region where winter weather can arrive well before the holidays, an early coat collection gives local residents a practical task now. The deadline is Nov. 6, and the place to bring a coat is 5241 Judd Road in Whitesboro.
