“There would be a woman sitting there, crying and saying, ‘My child is hungry. Can you get me on the WPA? Can you please help me get a job?’

“That left such an impression on me that I thought what if you had children and couldn’t afford to feed them or clothe them.”

For McClain, the best time to buy coats is during the holiday, post-Christmas sales.

“That’s what is fun. I think I got some for only $10 and they’re good coats,” she said.

“The coats keep me pretty well occupied,” she said, “but the closet sure is empty now.”