STARKVILLE — When Sarah Morgan Pellum, owner and manager of The Coffee Depot, decided to start a blanket drive at the shop back in November, she had no idea how far it would go.

“We weren’t sure how many we’d get,” Pellum said. “From the beginning, we said even if we only get five, that’s five people that will be warmer.”

With the coffee shop only opening back in May, and the shop’s college student customer base gone for the holiday break, Pellum said she didn’t know exactly what to expect.

But by the end of the month of December, Pellum said, the shop had gathered 130 blankets to donate to Starkville Strong, a nonprofit that helps with homeless outreach and housing insecurity in the city.

Pellum attributed the success of the drive to the shop’s local regulars, who she said “showed up” for the drive, got their families and their kids involved, and eventually filled the shop’s storage room with blankets.

“Since I kept moving some out to make room for more … all of our staff was blown away when I brought them back in,” Pellum said.

Starkville Strong Executive Director Brandi Herrington said the shop dropped off the blankets on Dec. 23. She, too, was surprised by the overwhelming support of the drive.

“I think that speaks to how well loved The Coffee Depot is,” Herrington said. “People want to support those who are vulnerable and support Starkville Strong, but they also want to support these businesses that are giving back to the community.”

Herrington said Starkville Strong is often supported by local businesses who reach out to ask how they can help the nonprofit’s mission. Ultimately, she said, any way that businesses want to be involved is appreciated, whether it is a clothing drive, food drive, blanket drive or a check.

The blankets, Herrington said, meet a growing struggle of full-time area residents who may not be able to afford housing, food, utilities and other basic living expenses due to inflation. Picking between these necessities is a real struggle for many of Starkville Strong’s clients, she said.

With the weather growing colder, Herrington said, the blankets will help to improve the quality of life for many Starkville Strong clients. These clients include homeless people in the area, but also any resident in the city who is just struggling to get by.

“We see a lot of our clients, especially our elderly clients, who won’t turn the heat on at all because they know they can’t afford that light bill,” Herrington said. “They’re piled under blankets and have gloves and hot hands just to try to survive in their own home. It’s not just about those homeless — which we have a ton of.”

The blankets, Herrington said, will be distributed to Starkville Strong clients that need them through a few different channels.

First, the blankets will be distributed through Starkville Strong’s winter weather bins, which are located outside of Dunkington boutique and the Starkville Public Library downtown. The nonprofit will also be delivering some blankets directly to clients who need them.

Finally, Herrington said, the remainder of the blankets will be distributed at Starkville Strong’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors event on Jan. 28.

Herrington said Starkville Strong is working with its clients to understand the resources available to them on a local, state and national level to help address needs long-term. For more information on Starkville Strong, go to starkvillestrong.org/.

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