Help Support the Homeless – List of supplies (original) (raw)

Help support the homeless in your community

The Following is a list of needed items. Please take what you can to any agency providing homeless services. This list is something the younsters in your Church or community organization as well as individuals can contribute to any time of the year. All of these items are in need year around. Your youth groups will have fun collecting these.

The list was developed by a local service agency in my community: Sweetwater Valley Camp in Austell Ga. They provide a free food pantry (set up like a grocery store) a free clothing pantry (set up like a retail clothing store) a medical facility (including dental care) and many other services out of a beautifully well-maintained building. The list was developed in conjunction with Cobb Faith Partnership.

Batteries (AAA, AA, D)

Feminine hygiene products

Blankets

Utility/Emergency Candles

Sleeping Bags

FlashlightsMatches

Bibles & bookmarks

Underwear

Zip-Lock bags

Thick Socks

Garbage bags

Deodorant

Tissues and/or Toilet paper

Sewing kits

Band-aids

Toothbrushes and Toothpaste

Tents or shelters

Antibacterial Ointment

Combs & brushes

Small lanterns with batteries

Coleman catalytic heaters

Ready-to-eat food

Bottled water

Travel size soaps, shampoos

Baby wipes or wet wipes

Reading glasses

Shower utility room & 5 gallon solar shower bags (this product provides a private shower) You can get these at Target and Walmart type stores in camping aisles.

Reliance Solar Shower Spary $9.99 at Target/Amazon

Camping Super Solar Shower Gaian $18.00 (They also have shower poles and shower tents.

Link to a hanging solar shower bag $11.98 at Pinecreekoutdoors.com

I would add to this a list of homeless service providers in your community and a map (see Google) of their locations. Put the copy in a gallon size zip lock bag or laminate it.

Your local United Way web site will likely have a very complete list you can download or copy from.

Oldtimer’s comment: Wanderingvet added a very useful comment below for a personal hygiene kit, which I’ve recopied below. Put it all into a gallon size ziplock bag.

Personal Hygiene Kit

Tooth Brush,

Tooth Paste (recommend Tom’s of Maine)

Dental Floss (not only for flossing, for clothes line, and stringing rocks in cans around campsite in urban areas),

Plenty of Bandaids (a lot of heel blisters)

neosporin,

cortisone cream,

cotton swabs,

Listerine (mouth wash yes, but very antiseptic also for cuts),

deodorant (pits get stinky),

Razor (Mach3 works best), soap (love that irish spring soap shave also),

nail clippers (keep them short to keep bacteria minimal),

Anti-diarrheal tablets (you do not want the runs)

At a dollar store this list retails about $11.00

And I keep this all in a ziploc freezer bag. A Very Large One as it crushes down well for packing

You can find wandering vet’s great site here: WanderingVet

(Find his original comment below)

Thanks Wanderingvet

Oldtimer