Residents get their winter needs at winter coat giveaway

The Mercy House in Jersey City recently joined with its sister locations in Newark and Elizabeth to distribute about 600 coats and other essential winterwear to people in need during the Archdiocese of Newark's largest ever Winter Coat Giveaway in late October.

Jersey City's Mercy House handed out roughly 200 coats in addition to hats and scarves among other items to help community members prepare for the upcoming winter. The Mercy House also distributed 120 new Halloween costumes so that children in financially strapped families could enjoy trick-or-treating despite the hardships.

"The Mercy House is proud to hold this giveaway again as winter can be especially challenging for those who don't have adequate clothing," said Cheryl A. Riley, director of The Mercy House. "Thanks to our generous donors, we are able to prepare our clients for the harsh weather and demonstrate that they can always count on us for support. The Mercy House embodies the Catholic mission of serving others."

Those who couldn't attend the in-person giveaways still have time to collect cold weather supplies from The Mercy House. The archdiocesan resource and referral center will continue to offer coats and other seasonal essentials during regular operating hours:

Jersey City, 20 Greenville Avenue: Open every Monday and the first and third Thursday of the month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Newark, 620 Clinton Avenue: Open every Tuesday and the second and fourth Friday of the month from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Elizabeth, 249 Court Street: Open every Wednesday and the first and third Friday of the month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Mercy House will host its annual Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway on Nov. 19 in Newark, Nov. 20 in Elizabeth, and Nov. 21 in Jersey City. This will be followed by their Christmas Gift Giveaway in December.

Those who wish to volunteer or donate can contact Riley at . More information about the Mercy House locations and their mission can be found online at www.rcan.org/mercy-house .

The Archdiocese of Newark serves 1.3 million Catholics throughout Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties with 211 parishes and 67 Catholic schools and serves up to 300 people weekly.