New Go-To Crew Request: Toddler Clothing and Welcome Baby Bags

New and like-new toddler clothing urgently needed!

Our toddler clothing bins are completely empty and we still have 6 family shelter deliveries left this month! We need your help giving children experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity the seasonal clothing they need for health and comfort this fall.

Please donate new and like-new toddler clothing (sizes 2T-5T) ASAP so we can send them to our partner programs this week and next week! 

We are also completely out of Welcome Baby Bags for newborns in shelter. Please donate backpack-style diaper bags and/or fully-assembled Welcome Baby Bags as soon as possible so we are ready for our next request. Assembling Welcome Baby Bags is a great service project to do with your classmates, colleagues, or community group! Learn more.

This may surprise you.

““Regarding the accessibility they have to these products...I guess the best way to describe it is a sigh of relief. Just knowing their basic needs are taken care of…that’s probably the best way to describe it. It just feels like this sigh of relief.””

— Student Employee at UMass Boston

When you think about homelessness, you might not immediately picture a high school senior, a college student, or a young adult diving into their career. But in fact, thousands of youth and young adults experience homelessness and housing insecurity every year. 

That's why Circle of Hope launched its Get Set program in 2019 to provide clothing, hygiene products, and dorm essentials to college and career bound students. Having first partnered with Framingham State University, we quickly expanded the program, now providing Get Set packages to eight of our 33 current partner programs.

We believe students experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity deserve equitable access to the essentials they need for health, safety, comfort, and wellbeing as they pursue an education or enter the workforce. No student should walk into their first dorm room or apartment to a bare mattress, unable to access the bedding they need for quality sleep. 

Your gift to our Get Set program today will put sheets and blankets on the bed of a college student heading to school in the coming days and weeks. 

Will you help Circle of Hope create pathways to opportunity for thousands of youth and young adults in Massachusetts by donating today?

Together, we can help young people breathe a sigh of relief as they embark on their chosen path forward. Thank you very much for your support!

UNIQLO USA donates 8,060 clothing products to Circle of Hope

This summer, UNIQLO USA donated an incredible 10 pallets of new clothing and shoes to Circle of Hope! Volunteers and staff have been busy unboxing, sorting, and distributing the 8,060 clothing donations to our partner shelters and programs, including Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and 112 Southampton Street Shelter in Boston. 

“It’s been two or three sessions since the donation and things have gone a LOT smoother lately. Patients are happy, volunteers and interns are happy, staff are happy. Everyone wins! It’s been great,” said Dan Maloney, Manager of Service Programs at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program.

The donations include basic layers like sweatpants and HEATTECH leggings, jackets, jeans, blouses, and sweaters for men, women, and teens. Not only are we already giving UNIQLO’s donations to people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity, but we are also now prepared to begin giving out jackets the minute the temperatures start to drop this fall.

This is UNIQLO’s third large donation of brand new apparel. Since 2022, we have also been a beneficiary of their “RE.UNIQLO” program, which invites customers to donate their gently used UNIQLO clothes back to the brand to maximize the lifespan of each garment and reduce textile waste. In 2023 and 2024, UNIQLO hosted free shopping events in Natick and Boston for our high school-aged clients. UNIQLO employees have even volunteered at Circle of Hope, helping us sort and bag clothing donations.

This type of consistent support from companies committed to social impact is pivotal to Circle of Hope’s mission and growth. We are so grateful to UNIQLO USA for their generosity! And a huge thank you to the dozens of volunteers who have sprung into action, helping us unbox the donations and prepare them for delivery.

Meet our newest team members

We are thrilled to introduce our newest team members, Jeilyn Ortega and Kamryn Eller!

Distribution Manager Jeilyn Ortega

Jeilyn brings a strong background in customer service and management to her new role as Circle of Hope's Distribution Manager. With previous experience as a receiving manager for a small business, she has developed a keen eye for detail and an ability to work effectively in fast-paced environments. As Distribution Manager, Jeilyn oversees our inventory of clothing and supplies, maintains the organization and flow of donations through our donation center, and works closely with our Operations and Community Engagement teams to coordinate volunteer activities. Outside of work she values spending time with family, friends and dog and enjoys moments of relaxation to recharge.

Special Projects Manager Kamryn Eller

Kamryn brings a strong background in nonprofit leadership, community engagement, and organizational development to her new role as Special Projects Manager. Prior to joining the team, she founded a local nonprofit initiative in her hometown and held several campus leadership roles focused on equity, student success, and service. Kamryn recently graduated from High Point University with a B.S. in Psychology and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Nonprofit Management at Northeastern University, further deepening her commitment to driving sustainable impact in the sector. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, spending time by the lake, and all things creative—whether it's design, photography, or music.

Welcome to the team, Jeilyn and Kamryn!

Heatwaves and Homelessness: How to Help During Extreme Heat

By Justin Carrington

It seems like now the summer will continue getting hotter each year. With temperatures now exiting bearable states and moving into uncomfortable and even dangerous heat, many find themselves negatively affected by the consistent 90 and 100 degree days. One population affected significantly by heatwaves is the population of people experiencing homelessness. Some individuals have apartments or houses with ac to come back to after some time in the sun, but people without places to live are often exposed to dangerous temperatures for a much longer time, increasing the potential for health risks. Still, there are ways to ensure all humans are safe during moments like these, when the climate is especially punishing.

People experiencing homelessness are at higher risk for heat related injuries due to multiple factors including pre-existing conditions being exacerbated by weather, a higher likelihood of being exposed to heat, and an inability to take preventative measures due to social exclusion. All of these problems work together to create tragic situations that were in some cases preventable. Heat stroke and death are very real, scary concerns for people experiencing homelessness who have limited access to cooling centers and other air-conditioned facilities.  According to Jonathan Jay, Assistant Professor of Community Health Sciences at Boston University, “Our estimates are 10 to 100 times greater than the known associations between daily heat and mortality for the general population in LA and Las Vegas”. Statistics like these reveal an obvious and upsetting discrepancy between the safety of people with homes and people without. In addition to physical health concerns, mental health concerns are also present. Worsening mental health and increased suicide rates are seen in hot weather. Truthfully, regardless of the cause, the fact is a lot of innocent people are lost during heat waves.

One long term solution is to continue advocating for affordable and safe housing. There are many ways to help one or a few individuals, but the biggest solution would be for everyone to simply have a place to live that keeps indoor temperatures at a reasonable level. With more livable low-income housing existing, this concern could be nearly wiped out entirely. For short term solutions though, there are small deeply impactful actions you can take. Portland Rescue Mission gives suggestions, including financial support of shelters, handing out frozen water, care kits, and reusable bottles, as well as hats and sunscreen. All of these could result in the immediate reduction of danger posed by the sun. If you wanted, you could mix and match and hand out multiple of these at once. Not only do care packages like these keep people healthy, it allows them to experience some humanity that is often revoked due to their status as a person without a home. 

So, if you are feeling the heat, remember that there are others experiencing the pain too, and some have even less solace as a result of an inability to escape. But there is always something you can do to help, and if you yourself don’t have the time, you can always donate and support organizations like Circle of Hope, who have all the time in the world to help.

Get Ready to Roll with COH - POSTPONED

Circle of Hope is hosting an epic fundraiser at Chez-Vous Roller Rink in Dorchester. Join us for an afternoon of roller skating, arcade games, raffles, and non-stop fun — all while supporting Circle of Hope's mission to provide infants, children, and adults experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in Boston and Metro West with clothing and hygiene essentials. Stay tuned for the new date!

Celebrating Needham Bank's Support

This spring, our generous friends at Needham Bank went above and beyond for Circle of Hope!

In March, the Human Resources and Learning & Development teams from Needham Bank volunteered at Circle of Hope. This wonderful group of energetic volunteers helped us sort a large donation of brand new sneakers for children and teens experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. With their help, we were able to send hundreds of pairs of shoes to our partner shelters and schools this spring!

Needham Bank also supported Hope Blooms in May with an impactful Field of Hope sponsorship. This contribution not only made the event itself possible, but helped fuel our mission for the whole year. Sponsorships like this one help move partners off our waitlist and keep our donation center stocked with the clothing and hygiene essentials our clients need for health and wellbeing. 

To top it all off, Needham Bank allowed Circle of Hope to use meeting space at the bank for a staff retreat in April. We are very grateful to be able to count on Needham Bank. Thank you for supporting our mission in so many different ways!

Spring Impact: Helping Families Displaced by Fire and Supporting College and Career Bound Graduates

Spring Impact: Helping Families Displaced by Fire and Supporting College and Career Bound Graduates

This graduation season, Circle of Hope has been busy providing Get Set packages to hundreds of graduating high school seniors embarking on careers or heading off to college in the fall. These packages include new bedding, dorm essentials, and hygiene kits to help young people experiencing housing insecurity get settled in their new dorms or apartments.

Boston Police officers give COH Get Set packages to dozens of high school graduates in Jamaica Plain every spring, including students aging out of DCF custody and preparing for college in the fall. Their annual graduation party took place this past Saturday and Circle of Hope provided Get Set packages to 60 students!

With our partner Rev. Richard Conway's help, we also provided Get Set packages to students at Cristo Rey Boston, a Dorchester high school for students with limited resources. These packages are helping close the opportunity gap for graduating high school seniors experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity by helping them "get set" for college, training programs, or careers.

Earlier this month, we responded to an urgent request from Boston Police Department to help a family displaced by a house fire. The family included young children in Boston Public Schools. Right away, we sent new clothing in the correct sizes for all members of the family, helping them recover and get back on their feet.

We got a Cummings Grant!

We're thrilled to announce that Circle of Hope has received a 3-year grant from Cummings Foundation!! This incredibly generous commitment enables us to scale up our impact, moving partners off our growing waitlist and helping tens of thousands more infants, children, and adults experiencing homelessness access the clothing and essentials they need for health and wellness. We are profoundly grateful to Cummings Foundation for their support!

Circle of Hope Volunteer Bruce Goody receives the 2025 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award

COH Volunteer Bruce Goody and COH Executive Director Ari Barbanell at Gillette Stadium

Longtime Circle of Hope volunteer, donor, and former Board Member Bruce Goody received the 2025 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award on Tuesday, June 3 at Gillette Stadium. The Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation recognized 26 volunteers for going above and beyond to give back to their communities.

Bruce has volunteered for Circle of Hope for 12+ years and has personally made nearly 1,000 deliveries of clothing and hygiene essentials to our partner shelters, hospitals, schools, and community programs. Bruce’s generosity with his time and resources has changed the lives of tens of thousands of infants, children, and adults experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. In addition to volunteering at Circle of Hope, Bruce is also a talented flutist and has shared his beautiful music in free concerts at shelters throughout Greater Boston.

In addition to bestowing this well-deserved honor on Bruce, the New England Patriots Foundation also donated $10,000 to Circle of Hope in his honor. We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Kraft Family and the New England Patriots Foundation for their incredible generosity!