YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown Blue Coats has outgrown its current location and plans a capital campaign in 2023 to raise funds for a new site, says Patty Summers, president and CEO. She says the organization needs at least 6,400 square feet and a bay to house its bus, which is used for distributing donated items.
“This is a challenging objective and we know we can achieve it with the help of this generous community,” she says.
YBC, founded in 2017, is a nonprofit with a mission to prevent freezing and injury to homeless and financially destitute individuals, with an emphasis on veterans. It collaborates with area agencies to ensure that other needs are met.
YBC hosts donation drives to collect gently used items such as coats, boots, hats and gloves, as well as sleeping mats and bags. It distributes them to those in need. Last year, it provided warming items and other assistance to 2,500 homeless individuals, Summers says.