Basic Needs

• Towels: At the A HOPE Day Center, we see around 200 people each day of the year, many of whom come in for a warm shower & need a dry towel afterwards. Because of the volume of folks who shower at A HOPE, we’re in constant need of towels, so pull out the ones you don’t use anymore & ask your family and friends to do the same, and drop them off at A HOPE!
• Travel-Sized Toiletries: Because people experiencing homelessness often have to carry with them everything they own, we provide travel-sized toiletries for one-time use at A HOPE or to fit easily into a backpack. So the next time you travel, grab the hotel toiletries you don’t need & start a collection for A HOPE. Ask the people you know to do the same, or set out a box to collect them at your office, school, or congregation. It’s an easy way to support your homeless neighbors, and an easy ask of your friends, family, & co-workers!
• Food: We don’t serve meals at the A HOPE Day Center, but we do keep peanut butter, jelly, & bread around for folks who haven’t been able to access a mealsite & need a snack, and we go through huge quantities of coffee. So next time you’re at the grocery store, pick up some pb & j, a loaf of bread, or some ground coffee and drop it off to us at A HOPE! 
• Socks & Underwear: We don’t keep a big supply of clothing at A HOPE because other places in town already meet that need, but our clients always need a new pair of socks or a new pair of underwear. When you’re living outside & walking around all day, it makes a big difference!
• Outreach Supplies: Many of our clients choose to camp, rather than come in for emergency shelter, for a variety of reasons. If we can offer them the supplies they need, we not only keep them safe outdoors, but we also start to gain their trust & build the relationships that can lead to a move into housing.Our PATH outreach team needs your help with the following items:
  • P38 Can Openers
  • Socks
  • Tents
  • Patch Kits for Tents
  • Waterproofing Spray
  • Rain Jackets
  • Umbrellas
  • Tarps
  • Flashlights
  • Batteries
  • Ponchos
  • Backpacks

Housing Needs

• Furniture: Imagine living on the streets & in shelters for 12 years, then moving into your own apartment! Now imagine what it feels like to be in an empty apartment versus what it feels like to move into one with a bed to sleep in, a table to eat at, and a sofa to sit on.  If you’ve got furniture you no longer need, pass it on to our newly-housed neighbors to help them move out of homelessness into a home!
• Furnishings: When you’re homeless, you don’t have the means to carry around things like can openers & shower curtains, or dishes or trash cans. Think of the things you need to make your home run smoothly; our clients in housing need the same things.
• Paper Products & Cleaning Supplies: Did you know that food stamps will only pay for food? That means that people who move into apartments without income don’t have any resources to buy toilet paper, dish soap, laundry detergent, paper towels, or cleaning supplies. You can help! Drop off some extras at Homeward Bound, or put together a welcome basket of these necessary items for someone moving into a new apartment.
• Sponsor a Move-In!  Get together with your office, congregation, or group of friends to collect donations & make purchases to set someone up in his or her new apartment.  Here’s a list of suggested items to get you started!  To be matched with a person who needs your sponsorship to make his or her new apartment feel like home, contact emily@hbofa.org. 

Agency Needs

Truck! We’ve got one Homeward Bound vehicle – a van – and we keep it on the road all the time. If you’ve got a truck to donate, or the resources to help us buy one, we’d love to have your support to increase our capacity to support our clients!