Acceptable Donations
Why Donations Are Important To Our Families
Private donations of household and personal items have been important to the Esplanade House since the program's inception in 1991. The criteria for getting into the Esplanade House Program are homelessness and having children living with you. Families come to our program from a variety of homeless situations. Some have been living in their cars or camping; some have come from substance abuse treatment programs or some other shelter, some have recently been released from prison or have been evicted from housing; some have been “couch surfing” depending on friends or family for temporary help.
All families who are admitted to our program are homeless and in crisis in many areas of their life. They often come with few personal possessions, no money and little or no income. The generosity of our community supporters who donate household and personal items makes it possible for the Esplanade House to supply each family with the necessities to set up housekeeping. Each of our apartments come equipped with stoves, refrigerators, built in dressers, and a dining table and chairs. Beds are also provided for each family. All other household necessities are mainly supplied from our donations.
How Your Donations Are Used
During their first three months, if a family has a need for clothing, furniture, kitchen items, linens, or toys we make it available to them if it is in our donations. Throughout their stay, if the family has a need they fill out a request form that is given to our donations department personnel. When the item becomes available it is given to the family. After the major personal and household needs have been filled, items from our donations are used as incentives to encourage and reward exemplary participation in our program. Each family can earn “donation dollars” for behavior that goes beyond the minimum expectations. These “dollars’ can be used to purchase items from our donations room.
When we have donations that are not needed by our families we give some of our items to other organizations that help needy families. Most of our donations are used on site for our families. Because we have limited space for storage if we receive donations of clothing that are “out of season” or if our space becomes to crowded this is when we make items available to other charity organizations.
What Type of Donations Are Needed
Donations of gently used, in season, clothing is always needed. Most of our families are headed by single mothers but we have several fathers as well so both men and women’s clothing is needed. Gently used children’s clothing is always needed as we have nearly 100 children living at the Esplanade House. Many of our young mothers who are moving into the program are pregnant or have new babies so infant and toddler items are especially appreciated.
Donations of cribs, car-seats, strollers, diapers and children’s toys and books are always needed. Kitchen items like pots, pans, dinner-ware, towels, small appliances are needed to help set up housekeeping for each family.
As we serve more and more families our need for maintenance items like small tools, paint brushes, welcome door mats, cleaning supplies, brooms, mops and buckets also grows.
Donation Items We Do Not Accept
We do not take major appliances like refrigerators, stoves, freezers, washers or dryers. TVs are accepted on a limited basis and only if they are in perfect working order. Computers are not accepted. Upholstered furniture is only taken if it is in prime condition.
How To Donate
If you have items that you would like to give to assist our families on their path to success, here’s what to do. Call our Donations Room at 895-6552, ext. 238 or our front desk at 891-2977 ext. 201 to set up a time to drop off your donations. Pick up is possible on a limited basis. Our donations room is generally open for drop-offs Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm at 181 E. Shasta Avenue. You will be asked to fill out a form that lists the approximate value of your donation and you will receive a receipt for your tax-deductible donation.
Wish List
- Hand sanitizer wall units
- Teething rings
- Construction paper
- Finger paint
- Finger paint paper
- Art drying rack
- Toddler tricycles
- Cleaning kits for move in
- Copy paper
- Games
- Art supplies
- Snacks after school program
- Cleaning supplies’
- Non perishable food
- Toiletries: shampoo, razors, deodorant
- Towels
- Door mats for entries of apartments
- Mops
- Brooms
- Kitchen utensils
- Gently used area rugs
- Dressers
- Cribs