Now that we have officially entered the holiday season, many of us are thinking of ways we can share warmth and joy with others in our community. There are many ways you can have an immediate impact on families experiencing homelessness this winter, whether you’re flying solo or looking to get involved with your kids, classmates, neighbors, faith group, Scouts troop, colleagues, or employees.
Run a collection drive. Collect new or like-new clothing or unopened hygiene products at your school, place of worship, workplace, or community group. All it takes is a big box and a little advertising and you'll be on your way! Make flyers to hang around the collection location, send a company-wide email, make an announcement over the school intercom, or post on your group’s social media pages to let people know what you're collecting, where to drop it off, and when your drive will end. Put out a clearly-marked box or bin and watch it fill up!
Assemble donation kits with your crew. Check out our website for a list of contents of various kits, including hygiene kits, welcome baby bags, period pouches, and postpartum care kits. We welcome other types of kits as well (makeup kits, winter accessory bundles, etc.) as long as the contents are on our list of accepted donations.
Hosting a holiday party? Ask your guests to bring a gift for someone experiencing homelessness – a new sweater, a package of underwear, unopened hygiene products, a winter coat, or a new pair of boots.
Harness the holiday spirit by planning a fundraiser to fuel our mission. Make it a friendly competition between departments at your workplace, classrooms at your school, or Scout troops to see who can raise the most money to support families experiencing homelessness this holiday season. Bonus points if you fundraise for our Winter Walk team! Learn more and register for the Feb. 14 walk through downtown Boston.
Spread the cheer by spreading awareness! Share a post about Circle of Hope on social media, subscribe to our e-newsletter and share with friends, or hold a birthday fundraiser on Facebook if you've got a winter birthday.
Whatever you choose, we encourage you to plan to drop off your donations by early December so we can make sure they go out before the winter holidays. Our donation center is located at 1329 Highland Avenue, Suite 3 in Needham Center and is open from 10am to 12pm on Mondays - Thursdays and Saturdays. Visit our website for directions, holiday hours, and full donation guidelines.
Thank you and happy holidays!
