Dorchester Co. Health Department Looking for Winter Clothes Donations

(CAMBRIDGE, Md) – As we get our first taste of the winter season on the Eastern Shore, one Dorchester County group is trying to prepare so they can help the more vulnerable members of their community.

The Dorchester County Health Department is calling on the community to lend a hand for their winter supply drive throughout the colder months. They’re asking for either new or barely used winter clothes, ranging from socks and sweaters to winter jackets.

The plan will be to distribute these items to those who are either homeless or regularly ending up spending the night in a shelter.

Hannah Mayhew with the Health department tells WMDT, “There’s some folks that can’t go to the shelter. And so anything we can do to make them a little bit warmer and prevent frostbite, or worse from happening, it can be lifesaving.”

It isn’t just the need for that cold weather gear the health department is asking the public to lend a hand with either.

They’re hoping that people will step up as well as part of the Maryland Responds Medical Reserve Corps, to help with distributing those supplies, among other needs.

“…Extreme cold can be a public health emergency. So we’re looking for volunteers to help us distribute this doing street outreach, but also, those volunteers might be, helpful when we’re staffing overflow warming shelters on those extremely cold days,” says Hannah.

If you want to donate some winter supplies to help those in need over the next few months you have plenty of time to help.

The Health Department will be accepting donations through February.

Donations can be brought to the Heath Department at 627 Race Street, Cambridge City Hall at 410 Academy Street, and the Hurlock branch of the Dorchester County Library at 76 Old Trolley Road.