BILLINGS— A Billings business has organized a winter clothing drive for homeless and vulnerable youth in the community.
Western Empire Emporium at 3141 King Ave W is collecting coats, gloves, hats, blankets, boots, hygiene necessities, backpacks and more through October 17.
Watch to see why there is a winter clothing drive:
All donations will go to the youth under the care of Billings nonprofit, Tumbleweed.
“The teenagers tend to get forgotten and overlooked,” said Tanya Hill, general manager at Western Empire Emporium who came up with the idea for the drive.
Hill started the drive on September 7 in hopes of keeping youth living on the street and in unreliable housing warm.
“They don't always have a choice in this situation. So, I felt that, you know, maybe let's help take care of them, so they do see that they do matter to our community, and we do care,” said Hill.
Hill has been working with the business’s leadership team member, Alicia Cureton, to gather the items.
The pair has received donations like deodorant, water bottles and feminine hygiene products so far and is welcoming more donations in these last two weeks of the drive. According to Cureton, they are also accepting gently used clothing.
“If you have the time, go through your closet. You might be surprised. The things that you see that you don't use, that (are) gently used could be all the world to somebody that doesn't have it,” said Cureton.
The two winter drive organizers hope to bring the donations to Tumbleweed before freezing temperatures hit Billings.
“Western Empire Emporium is thinking forward for us because it won't be very long and (it) will be snowing and cold,” said executive director of Tumbleweed Georgia Cady.
Cady said the nonprofit is most in need of blankets and men’s winter boots right now.
“Our blanket supplies are already beginning to be depleted. The other thing is it's really hard to find men's warm boots. The larger sizes, of course, are expensive, but those are definitely needed. And then always, always year-round underwear and socks are a necessity,” she said.
The youth may have need for the items in a few weeks.
According to MTN meteorologist Jason Stiff, mountains have already received snow and Billings temperatures are dropping.
“It's gonna get a lot colder once this storm moves past us by Monday morning and Tuesday morning. We're likely gonna have the coldest temperatures we've had since early May,” said Stiff.
