JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When the sun rose over downtown Jacksonville on Wednesday morning, David Laney stood in line outside the Clara White Mission, shivering slightly beneath thin layers he had collected over the past week.
“It’s shaky, it’s cold,” he said.
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Laney hasn’t slept in a bed in days.
He’s been outside — on sidewalks, under awnings, anywhere he can find a sliver of shelter — as temperatures dipped.
“I’ve been outside for a week now,” he said. “It’s rough. Very, very tough. I know God got my back… He’ll make a way for me. It’s not a downside to it.”
An upside, he says, was walking into the annual Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive — now in its 23rd year, a community tradition built on kindness and necessity.
Blankets, socks, coats, pants, shoes… even brand-new bags to carry it all. And this year, everything was displayed in a way meant to restore more than warmth — it restored dignity.
“We wanted this to feel like a pop-up store,” said Kemal Gasper, Vice President of Vystar’s community engagement. “We wanted to make sure those clients — we call them clients — it’s like a shopping experience for them. We have sizes and everything is laid out nicely.”
The Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive, run by WJCT Public Media with partners including VyStar, Suddath, the Tom Bush Family of Dealerships and Humana, has grown significantly in recent years. Last year’s drive distributed about 9,000 items.
This year surpassed that number by more than 1,000.
Staff at the Clara White Mission say the need is rising as rents remain high, shelters overflow and colder weather arrives earlier.
While waiting on his breakfast, Laney shared with News4JAX Reporter Briana Brownlee and photojournalist Jesse Hanson, the blessing wasn’t just the warm clothes or the food, it was being seen, cared for, and remembered.
Because on the nights he’s alone in the cold, he said he holds onto one reminder.
“When God wakes you up, and he knows you’re gonna be cold, he also warms me on the inside,” Laney said. “As long as you’ve got Him on your side, you can shake off that chill.”
For the people who donated clothing throughout November, and for the volunteers who spent the morning handing it out, that reminder — that hope — is exactly why organizers say they will keep this tradition.