Visit Middleton’s Winter Clothing Drive Collects 623 Donations

MIDDLETON, Wis. — Visit Middleton’s annual winter clothing drive, “Keeping Neighbors Warm,” concluded last week, collecting a total of 623 winter outerwear items, which surpassed last year’s total.

“We were thrilled to see the number of donations go up this year for the winter clothing drive,” said Laura Portz, the campaign’s coordinator and convention and events services manager for Visit Middleton. “We actually ran the drive for a shorter period of time this year, but it didn’t impact people’s enthusiasm for giving.”

This was the second year Visit Middleton, the City of Middleton’s tourism department, hosted “Keeping Neighbors Warm”; however, it was the eighth year the office participated in a clothing drive, formerly known as Big Bundle Up. This year’s clothing drive broke 2022’s donation total of 607 items.

The 2023 “Keeping Neighbor Warm” clothing drive took place Nov. 22-Dec. 13, with drop-off locations at Keva Sports Center, Middleton Public Library, Willy Street Co-op West, and the Middleton Visitors Center. Residents and visitors donated winter outerwear items for all ages, including winter coats, snow pants, hats, gloves, scarves and boots. Donations were picked up weekly and dropped off at WayForward Resources, previously known as Middleton Outreach Ministry, for distribution.

“This clothing drive comes at a perfect time with the weather turning colder and more people in our community finding it increasingly difficult to stretch their budgets to cover the most basic needs,” said Jenny Price, communications manager for WayForward Resources. “This influx of coats and other winter gear for WayForward’s clothing center will keep a lot of children and families warm, and it’s an amazing example of what we can do when we come together.”

For more information about Visit Middleton, go to visitmiddleton.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.