A restaurant in Dallas has come up with a unique way to help the homeless on these long winter days….a “Take One Leave One” coat rack.
Winter is not an easy time for the homeless, and staying warm can often be a matter of survival. While most of us take our warm jackets for granted, there are many homeless who lose their jackets during the hot summers, as they have nowhere to keep it until the next winter.
The struggle to find a new coat each year is real, but now thanks to a compassionate restaurant owner, dozens of homeless men, women and children are going to be able to stay a bit warmer.
Emilia Flores, a former psychologist who owns The Taco Stop in Dallas, set up a free coat, hat, and scarf exchange outside of her business.
The sign above the coat rack reads: “Are you cold? Take one. Do you want to help? Leave one.”
Many of us have extra unused or older coats laying around the house, and rather than letting it just sit there, Emilia is giving us a way to help a homeless person in need stay warm for the winter.
Freezing temperatures in Texas inspired the good samaritan to offer winter clothing to those who need it. The rack is easy-to-spot and clear in its message.
Flores good deed hasn’t come without challenges. In one year, the rack was stolen four times, but she and other loyal customers decided each time to replace it and say they will continue to do so as many times as necessary, in order to keep the poor warm for the winter.