Every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, volunteers come together at the Southwest Community Center in Syracuse. 

Their mission is to collect hats, coats and scarves, and then go out into the community to distribute them.

The event is hosted by the United Way and the Greater Syracuse Labor Council. 

They get the donated items local churches, shelters, and community groups who then hand them over to people in need. 

"The need is getting bigger because we know what is happening not just in our city, but across the country.  So, this is a day for us to be able to help the less fortunate, for us to come together and distribute some of the things that we find comfort in to make comfort for others," said United Way of CNY Community Services liaison Helen Hudson.

This is the 19th year the United Way and Greater Syracuse Labor Council have partnered for the effort.