Free Coats and Winter Clothing Help in San Antonio (2026)

San Antonio winters are short, but the cold snaps are real — and a warm coat is not optional when a norther blows in. Two local coat drives are collecting right now, and the coats they gather reach San Antonians through trusted neighborhood organizations. Here’s where the coats go, how to connect with the groups handing them out, where to donate if you have a spare, and where to find free clothing help all year.

First, one honest note so nobody wastes a trip: neither drive below has announced a public walk-up giveaway day. These are collection drives — the coats flow to people through the organizations listed, which serve their own clients and guests. If a public distribution date is announced, we’ll update this page. In the meantime, the fastest route to a coat (or any other urgent help) is 2-1-1 — dial 2-1-1 any time, free and confidential, and ask what clothing help is open near you today.

Drive 1: District 9 Coats of Kindness — collecting through November 20

The Office of District 9 Councilwoman Misty Spears is running the 2nd Annual Coats of Kindness Drive, collecting new and gently used coats from October 1 through November 20, 2026. Last year neighbors donated 500 coats; this year’s goal is 700. The coats collected go to three organizations that put them directly on the people they serve:

• Corazón Ministries
• Family Violence Prevention Services
• Soldiers’ Angels

If you’re connected with one of those organizations — as a client, guest, or veteran — ask them about coats from the drive. And if you have a coat to give, drop it at any of these four locations during the collection period:

• District 9 Constituent Services Office — 16500 San Pedro Ave., Suite 235, San Antonio, TX 78232
• Walker Ranch Senior Center — 835 W. Rhapsody, San Antonio, TX 78216
• Mesa Granda HOA — 2 Sable Canyon, San Antonio, TX 78258
• Kung Jung Mu Sul of Texas — 16664 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio, TX 78232

Questions about donating or participating? Email the District 9 office at District9@sanantonio.gov. Full details are in the City’s official announcement, linked in the Helpful links section below.

Drive 2: OFT Winter Coat Drive — collecting through November 7

OFT’s Winter Coat Drive 2026 — “Warmer Neighbors. Stronger Together” runs October 10 through November 7, 2026, collecting for individuals and families served by Haven for Hope, San Antonio’s largest campus serving people experiencing homelessness. Haven for Hope guests are exactly the neighbors who feel a cold snap first — if you stay or receive services there, ask staff about winter gear from the drive.

OFT is collecting new or clean, gently used cold-weather essentials:

• Cold-weather jackets and coats
• Hoodies and sweaters
• Hats, gloves, and scarves
• Hand warmers

Drop donations at either partner location:

• Kain Na “Let’s Eat” Restaurant — 8607 Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio, TX 78240
• Susie’s Lumpia House — 7914 Culebra Rd., Suite 109, San Antonio, TX 78251

OFT will also accept donations at its information table during Adobo Throwdown 4.0, October 24–25 at the Garden Ridge Community & Event Center — free admission, if you’d rather hand your coat over in person.

Need a coat today? Year-round free clothing help

Cold weather doesn’t wait for a drive’s schedule. If you or your kids need clothing now:

• Dial 2-1-1 — 2-1-1 Texas is free, confidential, and answered around the clock. Ask specifically about clothing closets and winter clothing near your ZIP code; availability changes week to week, and 2-1-1 tracks it.
• Our free clothing guide — clothing closets, free school and work clothes, and voucher programs across San Antonio, all in one place: Free Clothing in San Antonio (2026).
• Connected to Haven for Hope, Corazón Ministries, Family Violence Prevention Services, or Soldiers’ Angels? Ask your case manager or the front desk about the coat drives above — that’s the channel the collected coats move through.

Cleaning out a closet? Put every coat to work

Fall closet clean-outs produce two kinds of winter wear: the coat that’s too worn to sell but still warm, and the one that’s genuinely worth money. Send each where it does the most good:

• Warm but worn? Donate it to one of the drives above before their deadlines — November 7 for OFT, November 20 for District 9. A coat in a closet keeps nobody warm.
• Good condition and sellable? List it free on San Antonio Thrift heading into cold season — winter wear moves fastest right now, and the sale money stays in your pocket.

FAQ

Is there a day I can just walk up and get a free coat?
Not that either drive has announced as of October 2026. Both the District 9 and OFT drives are collection drives — coats reach people through Corazón Ministries, Family Violence Prevention Services, Soldiers’ Angels, and Haven for Hope. If a public giveaway date is announced, this page will be updated. For help today, dial 2-1-1.

Who do the donated coats go to?
The District 9 Coats of Kindness Drive benefits Corazón Ministries, Family Violence Prevention Services, and Soldiers’ Angels. The OFT Winter Coat Drive collects for individuals and families served by Haven for Hope.

What condition do donated coats need to be in?
Both drives accept new or gently used coats. OFT also takes clean, gently used hoodies, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, and hand warmers. If you wouldn’t hand it to a friend, it isn’t a donation — but don’t let “not perfect” stop you, either; gently used is exactly what they’re asking for.

When do the drives end?
OFT’s drive ends November 7, 2026. The District 9 Coats of Kindness Drive ends November 20, 2026. After those dates, the drop-off locations above stop collecting for these drives.

I need more than a coat — where do I start?
Dial 2-1-1 for immediate local help, and use the free Apply for Me box below to see what other programs — food, utilities, health coverage, child care — your household may qualify for.

Helpful links & phone numbers

• City of San Antonio — Coats of Kindness announcement (sa.gov) — the official District 9 drive details, drop-off locations, and dates. Questions: District9@sanantonio.gov.
• OFT Winter Coat Drive 2026 — what to donate, the two drop-off locations, and the Adobo Throwdown collection table, October 10 – November 7.
• 2-1-1 Texas — dial 2-1-1: free, confidential help line for clothing closets, food, utility, housing, and other assistance across Texas.
• Free Clothing in San Antonio (2026) — our year-round guide to clothing closets and free clothes in San Antonio.
• San Antonio Thrift — sell the winter wear that’s too good to give away, free to list.
• San Antonio Free Meals — free food distributions, pantries, and community meals in San Antonio, no application needed.

♥ NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

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