One of the best ways to ensure that our shelters have all the supplies – is to hold a drive. Just about anyone can participate in a drive and it really serves to unite the community for a good cause in child welfare.
The first thing to do is determine exactly what the shelter needs. Shelters typically need toys, food, twin sized bed sheets and bed coverings, birthday items, arts and crafts, school supplies, cleaning products, clothes for ages 2-17, office supplies and much more. Call the shelter for a specific need and share the information at your drive. It’ll raise awareness so that the public knows that the shelter has a need and a simple donation can really make a difference. Understanding exactly what is needed, it will motivate more people to donate excess supplies to your drive.
Once you’ve determined what the shelter needs, pinpoint a date for the drive. The most successful shelter drives are often scheduled simultaneously with another event or even a holiday. People are in a festive mood around holidays and out and about, shopping and partaking in events, so they’ll be more likely to stop by the shelter with a donation.
Make it easy for the public to donate items by establishing multiple local drop off locations. Ideal drop off spots include pet stores, churches, community centers and supermarkets. Set up boxes at each location that will be large enough to hold sizable donations without any overflow. Just make sure that the managers or owners of the drop off location are on board with having large boxes set up on their property.
You can also direct people to the shelter’s website about the need for certain items, raise awareness in other avenues as well. Our website can also accept monetary donations. Be sure to promote the drive and make it clear as to what items are most needed. Create large, colorful posters that show the drive’s drop off locations, date, the shelter name and desired supplies. Place these posters around town and have friends and family spread the word as well. You can even promote the drive locally and on social media.
Once the drive has been promoted, make sure that drop off points or noted. This will encourage the public to show up with supplies in hand to this year’s drive as well as those that the shelter holds in the future.
Here are some drives that you could help with-
- Food Drive- are a great way to involve your friends and family in the fight to end hunger. There are two main ways to host a food drive: collecting canned goods and food donations in-person or collecting gift cards to grocery stores or restaurants.
- Toy and Gift Drive- The holidays/birthdays are synonymous with toys and gifts. It is a joyous time for most. But, for homeless youth it can be a time of stress and anxiety. We want our children and teens to experience the joy and excitement of receiving those special gifts. Thankfully, holiday toy drives help fill the need. We have kids ages 2-17 so all toys fit the occasion! Teens often like makeup, grooming kits, crafts, games, and sporting items.
- Basic Hygiene and Cleaning Products- These are items that help you take care of your personal hygiene and appearance. These items can make a huge impact on students’ confidence, relationships, and academic performance. Here are some (unused and unopened) essentials to collect:
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Soap
- Body wash
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
- Mouthwash
- Dental floss
- Menstrual products (tampons, pads)
- Deodorant
- Razors
- Shaving cream
- Hairbrushes
Cleaning Products- Maintaining a clean and disinfected environment is important for our residents. Collect some of these products to help families fight viruses in our shelter.
- Disinfectant wipes
- Disinfectant spray
- All-purpose cleaners
- Toilet bowl cleaners
- Glass cleaners
- Hand sanitizer
- Laundry detergent
- Dish soap
- Paper towels
- Sponges/scrubbers
- Gloves
- Trash bags
- Monetary Donations- You could make a planned gift to the Children’s Aid Society by including the agency by making a monetary donation or adding the agency in your will or estate plan. Helping future children for years to come. Checks can be mailed to the shelter at: Children’s Aid Society of West Texas Inc., 1101 30th St. Wichita Falls, Texas 76302. Or you can donate on line here on our website.