'Believing in Forever' coat drive moves to First Baptist Church Bracktown
Nov 14, 2024
We are nearly halfway through November, and although temperatures have been mostly on the warmer side, soon it'll be deep into coat season and community activist Devine Carama is once again holding his annual coat drive, but with a few changes this year.There's a new site for the Believing in Forever Coat Drive this year as the non-profit continues to give away coats to kids across the commonwealth."When you look at inflation, and prices hiking up the level of the economy, I think we have more people in need," Carama said.Carama's push to meet 2,500 requests in Central and Eastern Kentucky is going through a major change.Lack of space at Consolidated Baptist Church means it is no longer the home of the Believing in Forever Youth Coat Drive after it was the host the past five years."They've been an incredible host but they've gained some new partnerships because that is the heart of that church, and so they're working with Fayette County this year. They are partnering with PAL," Carama noted. Carama is praising the work at Consolidated Baptist Church and adjusting, turning to his family's home church, First Baptist Church Bracktown."Great relationship with Pastor McFarland...so I don't this see thing slowing down a bit. I think partnering with Bracktown will continue to see this thing move and grow," Carama added.The coat drive, in its 11th year, is unique because only brand-new coats are accepted on top of the overall impact. "Sometimes a coat can make or break a family, because I've been there. I've been a single parent before and sometimes buying that coat can be difficult," Carama said.Believing in Forever takes that burden off families. Carama's team is working with schools and organizations, family resource centers, and community action head start centers to accommodate requests, keeping a key date in mind: Dec. 14, the final day of the drive."To end the coat drive, whatever we have left, we open up the doors to the church, and any community members that didn't get a request in, can come in and grab hats, gloves, anything we have left," Carama said.People can donate monetarily, as well.Believing in Forever's last day receiving requests for the coat drive is Dec. 1.People can also donate brand-new coats, which they can drop off at Bracktown Church or fire stations #15 and #21.