With temperatures dropping, Central Texans are dragging out thick winter coats and pulling gloves onto fingers. But, not everyone can bundle up in cold weather; many don’t even own a blanket to keep the night chill off. Organizations that provide warm items to those in need are falling short without donations.

Sheila Rogers founded Warmth for the Winter, a local organization that provides blankets, coats, scarves, gloves and hats to those in need.

“Since I was little, I’ve really gotten sad this time of year knowing people out there are cold and I was warm,” she said.

Kay Langford is in charge of receiving the coats and distributing them. She said the organization has a need for blankets, but there has been a decrease in donations this year.

“It seems like everyone needs a blanket,” Langford said. “There’s a much greater demand and less coats.”

Langford handed out winter items in a Belton neighborhood at a local church and provided a meal. She hopes to execute the same in a Temple neighborhood, but needs more.

“Most people don’t even notice that there are so many people in need and need something as small as a blanket,” she said.

Certain neighborhoods in Temple don’t have adequate heating and residents often sleep in their coats, Langford said.

Temple ISD is also searching for a way to help children keep out the cold. While there is no formal program at this time, spokeswoman Regina Baird hopes to have one soon.

“We want to do it,” she said. “We have to figure out first how to identify these kids and how to get the coats at a low enough price.”

Baird said the program would be a partnership between the school district and the Partners in Education Program.

The school district will probably hand out coats to the same children they provide school supplies to in August, she said. Baird hopes to be able to do this after Christmas - the coldest part of the Texas winter is usually between January and late February.

If a schoolchild needs a coat, contact Communities in School or the school campus.

Donations for Warmth for the Winter are accepted at all Temple fire department stations. The drive ends Jan. 15.

For Langford, working in areas of poverty was an eye-opening experience. The families she met led her to volunteer for Warmth for the Winter.

“It’s about being aware of what’s actually going on in your city instead of pretending like it’s not there,” Langford said.

@temple-telegram.com