During the cold, sober winter, nothing provides a warming sensation quite like a tumbler of sweet, smooth bourbon. However, bourbon provides more of a spiritual warmth — for physical warmth, you’ll need, you know, a jacket or something. As it turns out, legendary distiller Maker’s Mark has this base covered, too: By virtue of a partnership with One Warm Coat, Maker’s Mark is poised to collect new and used coats for anyone in need.
One Warm Coat is a non-profit organization that has delivered warmth to over four million men, women, and children. This year, Maker’s Mark is helping extend One Warm Coat’s impact by embarking on a coat donation tour of the Eastern United States. The Maker’s Mark Holiday Truck Tour has already visited Chicago, IL; New York, NY; and Hoboken, NJ; and is poised to visit Philadelphia, PA; Baltimore, MD; Washington, DC; and Louisville, KY before the year is out.
The need for coats during the winter is clear: About 600,000 people are homeless in this country, and according to One Warm Coat, families with children account for 35% of that figure. One Warm Coat doesn’t just provide coats for the homeless, but for the nearly 15% of Americans living in poverty. That’s roughly 47 million Americans for whom a warm jacket may not be in the budget. A nice, warm coat can prevent a significant drop in body temperature, which health experts say can lead to reduced heart rate, loss of coordination, and other negative effects.
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During the Maker’s Mark Holiday Truck Tour, the beloved bourbon maker will accept coat donations of all sizes. Those who show up to donate coats will we treated to hot cocoa and gingerbread cookies (no bourbon, unfortunately, but you can always treat yourself to a healthy pour afterward). So if you have an old coat you don’t want or need anymore, be sure to catch Maker’s Mark’s Give Cozy, #GetCozy Truck on its way through your town.
If you can’t make it to a coat donation event, or if the truck isn’t stopping in your city, there are still ways to help out. Perhaps the easiest way to support One Warm Coat is to text “COAT” to 80100, which will automatically add a one-time donation of $5 to your next cell phone bill. You can also donate funds on their site, find a coat donation drive near you, or hold a drive yourself. If nothing else, you can follow Maker’s Mark’s journey on social media.
Remaining stops:
- Philadelphia, PA | December 11 – 13
- Baltimore, MD | December 14 – 16
- Washington, DC | December 17 – 19
- Louisville, KY | December 28 – 30
