With temperatures expected to drop over the next few days, two sisters are attempting to keep the less fortunate of El Paso warm this season through their SisterHoodies Coat Drive.
Eastwood High School senior Ariana Martell, 17, and freshman Diana Martell, 14, are donating more than 200 coats and jackets to the Rescue Mission of El Paso and the Reynolds Home for Homeless Women and Children.
Friday, the sisters distributed 245 coats, sweaters and hooded sweatshirts to homeless men, women and children at the shelters.
"This is the first year they have been involved with the Reynolds Home," said Dorothy Truax, director at the shelter. "And we appreciate what they are doing. The coats were not only given out to the
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Alex Hinojosa
families here at the shelters but others who recently left and are in need."
The Martell sisters said they started the coat drive in 2011 after hearing about a homeless man who died of hypothermia.
"About a year ago, there was a homeless man that died behind the Bowl El Paso bowling alley," Ariana said. "And after speaking with the homeless man that used to be his friend, we found out that he died of hypothermia."
In November 2011, a 49-year-old homeless man was found dead behind Bowl El Paso on the East Side.
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hypothermia is caused by staying in cold temperatures for long periods. The condition is defined by low body temperatures that can result in confusion, memory loss, slurred speech, drowsiness, exhaustion, shivering and death.
In an effort to prevent another hypothermia-related death, Ariana and Diana began distributing fliers around the Vista Hills Country Club neighborhood and asking their parents' co-workers to donate coats. The sisters received more than 100 coats, sweaters and hooded sweatshirts.

"We felt pretty bad after hearing about the man that died from hypothermia," Diana said. "So we wanted to do something that could prevent something like that from happening again."

This year, the Martell sisters decided to expand their outreach and asked the Eastwood National Honor Society to assist with the coat drive.

It resulted in an increased donation of coats.
The sisters said they hope the coat drive will continue to grow, and they have plans to expand it.

Ariana said she plans to continue the coat drive while she attends Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

Diana said she will continue to spread the word about the coat drive while she's at Eastwood High and wants to encourage others to participate.

"During the winter it gets a lot colder and the coats will keep those in need really warm," Diana said.

"And I think that aside from being able to keep warm, they'll feel a little more loved because someone is thinking about them. I think it will lighten up their lives a little more."

Alex Hinojosa may be reached at ahinojosa@elpasotimes.com; 546-6137.

How to help
  • For more information or to donate coats to the SisterHoodies coat drive, email Diana and Ariana Martell at sisterhoodies.info@gmail.com.
  • Donations can be made year-round.