The need has never been greater, and it’s never been easier to make a difference in your community. Here is your opportunity to make sure that nobody goes without such a basic necessity as a coat or blanket this winter, per Trudi Carey of The Carey Group Inc.

Twin Cups Drive-Up Coffee & Frozen Yogurt and Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners are collecting clean, gently used coats and blankets as part of the One Warm Coat community service project, together with Patterson Self-Storage, Santa Barbara Wine Storage and The Carey Group Inc.

Coats of all shapes sizes are welcome. The Santa Barbara community is particularly in need of men’s coats.

One Warm Coat is dedicated to distributing reusable coats, free of charge, directly to local children and adults. The program is an easy way for you and your family to pass along coats and blankets that you no longer need.

Twin Cups and Ablitt’s have made donating a coat simple. Just bring your clean, gently used coats and blankets to Twin Cups Drive-Up at 5329 Calle Real (in front of Patterson Self-Storage) from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekends or to Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners at 14 W. Gutierrez St. from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays now through Dec. 23.

Twin Cups and Ablitt’s will take care of the rest. All donated coats will be delivered by Ablitt’s to Transition House, Catholic Charities, Casa Esperanza and the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission for distribution to local people in need.

As a thank you, donors will receive from The Carey Group Inc. and Patterson Self-Storage a $5 gift card to Twin Cups to be used toward a specialty coffee, frozen yogurt or pastry.

— Bertha Fenske represents The Carey Group Inc.