The families in The Kensington Family Shelter would appreciate having the items listed below donated to them. Requests for donated items remain in effect until Catherine and Tracy send out an updated e-mail.
Tracy and Catherine are neighborhood residents who have volunteered to serve as liaisons between the shelter and the Kensington and Windsor Terrace neighborhoods.
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We hope that you have enjoyed a fun-filled, relaxing, and rejuvenating summer! This email includes an updated list of ongoing needs for the Kensington Family Shelter, as well as a special ask for back-to-school.
Back-to-School Event
We are happy to let you know that Volunteers of America will provide backpacks and school supplies for all the school-age children who live at The Kensington. Therefore, we will focus this donation drive on their parents, who are also heading back to school, back to work, or entering training programs.
The shelter staff is hosting a Back to School, Back to Work Fashion Show on September 9th, and will recognize those parents who are starting jobs, school, or training programs. These items will be gathered into care packages for the adults. Please consider donating anything from this list, and please be sure it arrives by Wednesday, September 6 (address below).
- Single-ride MetroCards (no one wants to miss work or class because they don’t have the cash for the train--these cost $3 and are available only at vending machines)
- Small notebooks
- Packages of pens and pencils
- Breath mints
- Pocket packages of Kleenex
- Pocket-size hand sanitizers
- Small umbrellas
In addition, career wear for women and men are needed. Any very gently used, office-appropriate clothing is welcome. Please package neatly and label the contents (i.e., 2 men’s suits {size 42 long} and 3 ties; 3 women’s blouses, size 12; etc.)
Additional Donation Needs
Due to storage constraints exacerbated by your generosity, shelter staff have asked that ONLY THESE ITEMS in new/unopened condition be donated at this time:
Baby Items
- Baby Soap
- Baby Lotion
- Baby Conditioner
- Baby Bottles
- Pacifiers
- Socks
Adult hygiene (full or travel size welcome; supplies needed for women and men)
- Deodorant
- Lotion
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
- Razors
- Soap/body wash
All items can be dropped off any day before 8:00 pm at the shelter, Attn: Uniquia Parker or mailed to the Kensington Family Shelter, 385 McDonald Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11218.
It’s been nearly 2 years since the shelter opened, and we remain grateful and humbled by our community’s ongoing generosity and kindness. Stay tuned for future opportunities to help.
Sincerely,
Tracy & Catherine