{"id":1794,"date":"2019-05-30T11:13:11","date_gmt":"2019-05-30T15:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bluedoor.ca\/?p=1794"},"modified":"2019-05-30T11:13:11","modified_gmt":"2019-05-30T15:13:11","slug":"what-to-donate-to-homeless-shelters-and-what-to-skip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluedoor.ca\/what-to-donate-to-homeless-shelters-and-what-to-skip\/","title":{"rendered":"What to donate to emergency housing for the homeless \u2013 and what to skip"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From soups to towels, donated items make a big difference for people staying at\u00a0emergency housing<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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BY AMY VALM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

S<\/span>pend enough time with anyone in the GTA and sooner or later the talk will come around to housing prices. But imagine if your concern wasn\u2019t how much you could afford, but rather if you could afford any home\u00a0at all?<\/p>\n

A recent\u00a0study<\/a> estimated that the homeless population in the city of Toronto is nearly 9,000 (8,715 people, by their count). This number encompasses people living outdoors, and in emergency housing locations, drop-in centres, health and treatment facilities and other programs. Every night in our city, there are 2,000 homeless youth and only 384 beds available to them.<\/p>\n

In a city with sky-high housing costs, homelessness<\/a> doesn\u2019t discriminate. It can affect someone who has lost their job, a person going through a divorce, somebody who just doesn\u2019t make enough money to cover their bills or a teen who was taken away from a dangerous living situation. And emergency housing for homeless individuals are often the only place for them to turn for temporary help.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur typical clients are here through no fault of their own,\u201d says Steve Doherty, executive director of Etobicoke\u2019s Youth Without Shelter<\/a>, a United Way-funded agency. \u201cA lot have had parents who are dealing with addiction or mental health issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a similar story at Blue Door<\/a>\u00a0a United Way-funded agency, which runs three different emergency housing locations \u2014 for youth, families and men \u2014 in York Region. \u201cWe\u2019re helping people in the short term,\u201d says Emmy Kelly, Blue Door\u2019s business director. \u201cWe work with everyone to find solutions for housing. They can stay for a few weeks or a month while looking for a job. For others, it\u2019s a longer experience with homelessness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emergency housing locations\u00a0try hard to fill the gaps for people experiencing homelessness, from providing a place to sleep out of the cold to meals to basic hygiene items to clothing. But their budgets are razor-thin, and they need assistance from donors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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What to donate<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Beyond monetary contributions, there are lots of ways to support organizations helping homeless individuals in your community, like donating<\/a> what\u2019s perpetually in short supply. Because each one is different, and some don\u2019t have large storage capabilities, it\u2019s always good idea to call ahead and confirm which items are on your local organization\u2019s wish list. Here\u2019s some of what to add to your donation list:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Clothing:<\/strong> Needs change by season. Doherty jokes that, like the fashion industry, emergency housing lcoations are always thinking one or two seasons ahead. Many don\u2019t have the bandwidth to launder used clothing, so new is your best bet. Think underwear (boxer shorts are usually in high demand), socks, pyjamas, hoodies, sweatpants and seasonal garb, such as winter coats and swimming trunks. Items in a variety of sizes for men, women and children make great donations.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Food:<\/strong> Shelf-stable proteins, like beans, tuna and peanut butter, never go to waste. Look for items that can be used to pack lunches or whip up quick meals. Think just-add-water noodle cups and ready-to-heat soups.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Toiletries:<\/strong> We all think about toothpaste, toothbrushes and combs, but shaving cream, razors and baby shampoo are also welcome, along with feminine hygiene products and makeup. Skin-care products, including acne and sensitive formulas, are appreciated.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Footwear:<\/strong> Slippers are a comforting item and an asset in communal living situations. New slippers for adults and children are highly sought-after. Running shoes, winter boots and steel-toe boots \u2014 new or nearly new, depending on the emergency housing location \u2014 are always put to good use.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Towels:<\/strong> With a large influx of people passing through a organization\u2019s doors, new bath towels are always in high demand.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Gift cards:<\/strong> On cold nights when emergency housing is filling up, $5 coffee-shop gift cards are great for staff to give out \u2014 they mean people waiting for a bed can keep warm while they stand by. \u201cGift cards act as a currency,\u201d says Doherty, referring to the clients who help out around the emergency house for youth. \u201cGoing for lunch to McDonald\u2019s or Tim Hortons with their friends is really important,\u201d he says. \u201cThe things we take for granted are really special to them.\u201d But you don\u2019t have to stick to food-related gift cards: One to a mall or department store can help purchase necessities that don\u2019t show up in the donation box, such as proper-fitting bras. Some people who live in shelters still have access to their cars, so gas gift cards can help them go to appointments or apartment viewings.<\/p>\n

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Don\u2019t forget other common items<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Homeless shelters, women\u2019s shelters<\/a> and food banks<\/a> are all trying to fill similar gaps for people. While the high-demand items above are at the top of homeless shelters\u2019 lists, it never hurts to add some of the following to your donation. They\u2019ll be gratefully accepted and \u2014 best of all \u2014 put to use right away.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Transit tokens:<\/strong> It\u2019s not uncommon for homeless youth to have to choose between eating and transportation to work or school. Tokens help them get to where they need to be without compromise.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Diapers and formula:<\/strong> Family shelters serve a wide range of ages, from infants through older adults. Diapers (from newborn all the way through toddler \u2014 or overnight-size) and formula help keep their smallest clientele well taken care of.<\/p>\n

What to maybe skip<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While shelters appreciate all well-intended donations, some items simply can\u2019t be used due to safety issues or lack of storage facilities. Perishable food is a good example. While you may not want to waste leftovers \u2014 like the party platters that went untouched at your event \u2014 most shelters can\u2019t accept them because of health and safety regulations (besides, lifTOvers would be more than happy to take them<\/a>!). It\u2019s a similar story for furniture: While it\u2019s helpful for people who are starting a new life away from the shelter, there often isn\u2019t space to store it in the interim. However, the Furniture Bank is just one of the places where you can donate your gently used stuff<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Weekend project<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Want to do something meaningful right away? We\u2019ve come up with a few ideas to get you started this coming weekend.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Lunch duty:<\/strong> Go out and buy supplies a shelter will need to pack several lunches. Kids will love having a say in the selection; let them choose juice boxes, granola bars, fruit cups and other non-perishable snacks.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Clean up:<\/strong> Create cleaning kits that can go with people to their new homes. Fill a bucket with the usual suspects, like toilet bowl cleaner and a brush, all-purpose cleaning spray, glass cleaner, disinfectant wipes, sponges, paper towels and rubber gloves. Call ahead to ensure your shelter has space to accommodate this donation.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Do a fundraiser:<\/strong> It doesn\u2019t have to be formal and take weeks of planning. It could be as simple as collaborating with a few people at the office<\/a> to set up a bake sale, or creating candygrams with your kid\u2019s classroom (a printed card with a lollipop or wrapped candy does the trick), with donations going to help your selected shelter.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Double up on shopping:<\/strong> When you go to a store to buy something, get in the routine of picking up an item for someone in need, too. It can be something small, like a can of tuna or a package of underwear. The goal is to make a habit of helping, so your donation isn\u2019t just a one-time thing. \ue900<\/span><\/p>\n

MAKE A DIFFERENCE NOW:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u2022 Share this story with your friends and family!
\n\u2022 Sign up for The Good News Letter<\/a> to get more stories like this in your inbox every Saturday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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> POSTED March 20, 2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From soups to towels, donated items make a big difference for people staying at\u00a0emergency housing BY AMY VALM Spend enough time with anyone in the GTA and sooner or later the talk will come around to housing prices. But imagine if your concern wasn\u2019t how much you could afford, but rather if you could afford […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1799,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1794","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t