JOY Soup Kitchen is collecting donations for cold weather clothing | Popgen Tech

GREENVILLE, NC (WITN) – We’ve talked a lot about donating toys 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 spoke with groups in our region who are trying to fill this need. When the weather turns cold, we bundle up and stay indoors, but the comforts of home don’t come free.

That’s why the JOY Soup Kitchen is collecting donations of just about anything people can use to keep warm — supplies that anyone can use as Greenville’s teens are forecast to hit record lows this weekend.

Bobbi Staten said she enjoys coming to JOY for the scholarship and resources. “The thing about JOY Soup Kitchen is that they don’t discriminate, so it’s not based on your name or even your income,” Staten said. “When you feel a need, you go and get it.”

Charnice Harris also stopped by JOY on Tuesday. She travels east on behalf of Truist and her non-profit organization House of Hugs for women and children. “I used to be homeless, so I’m always looking for ways to give back,” Harris said.

It’s not something you imagine when you unwrap it on Christmas morning, but things like blankets, gloves and waterproof bags mean a lot to those exposed to the elements. “I know some people who take transit. They have to carry things with them, so it was part of the thought process to give them that as well.”

Knowing what to give can start with putting yourself in the other person’s shoes.

“What do you need to go out and feel comfortable? OK, we don’t need flashy, shiny objects,” Quigley said. “We just need scarves, hats, gloves.”

Quigley wants people to remember that no matter why someone needs help, they deserve it. “I know what it’s like to live outside when you’re cold, and when you add a little rain to that, it’s a bad feeling,” he explained. “And if we can make it a little bit easier for somebody, that’s what we should be doing right now.”

These donations do not necessarily count as Christmas gifts. They will pass out in January. If you would like to donate, you can find JOY at 700 Albemarle Ave in Greenville.

Copyright 2022 WITN. All rights reserved.