LINCOLNTON––A local charity is collecting coats and more right now, in order to help the needy as temperatures drop.

Two Shirts Ministry is in the midst of its ongoing “Warm Coats, Warm Souls” collection effort, according to the group’s executive director and board chairman, T.D. Maloney. As he informed this week, the effort will continue through Nov. 1.

The ministry takes its name from the Gospel of St. Luke. In its third chapter and 11th verse, St. John the Baptist is asked by curious seekers what they should do. His reply is instructive:

“He answereth and saith unto them, ‘He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none. And he that hath meat, let him do likewise.’”

Maloney added that Two Shirts Ministry is “collecting new and gently-used coats, hats, gloves and warm clothing for children, families and the homeless in the Lincolnton area. Donations are needed in both children’s and adult sizes. Local drop-off locations are being arranged. But pick-ups and convenient drop-off times can be co-ordinated. For those unable to donate clothing, you can support the cause by purchasing items through our online registry or by making a financial contribution.”

Two Shirts Ministry is on a mission to improve lives and the environment. Beginning in Lincoln County and expanding outward, the group is working to get clothing and necessities to unsheltered people, children and disaster survivors, as well as to the ministries and non-profit organizations that support them. The ministry provides clothing to unsheltered people who are in need of seasonally appropriate clothing and other necessities. It provides heavy clothing, coats and hats in the winter and such lighter items as shirts and shorts in the summer months.

The ministry is also working to get clothing items to a hundred or more children each year, whether they are placed into foster care in emergency situations, they’re homeless, or they come from needy families. The group works with local ministries that provide clothing, pyjamas and such personal items as Teddy bears and books.

Two Shirts Ministry is building an infrastructure to provide clean clothing to people who have experienced hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural and man-made disasters. Many people attempt to donate clothing and personal items at the relief scene. These direct donations cannot always be used and often have to be disposed of. The ministry is developing a system that can enable it to establish a supply chain to help relief agencies supply these needed items. Plus, these efforts also alleviate landfill problems, and it means that far fewer such items simply go into the trash.

For more details on this worthy cause, be sure to check out the Website at www.2shirts.org. The group is a non-profit organization, and all contributions are tax-deductible.