April 3rd 2022

Looks like I need to explain our current situation. I seem to keep running into people that don’t realize our status. Yes, the renovation in the Tileston building is still ongoing ….. but the Center is still operating in the lower level of the building serving people in need. Yes, the pandemic has inhibited our operation but we have been successful serving guests four days a week since June 2020 when we re-opened with a modified program. Yes, we had put a hold on the receipt of material donations for quite a while due to safety precautions …… but we opened up for donations months ago and happily receive them Monday through Thursday, 9am til 11am. We have volunteers on hand to help you bring them in.

Let’s talk about the type of donations we like to receive. We follow Sister Isaac’s mantra – we want to give people a ‘hand up’ not ‘a hand out’. We do not subscribe to the theory that ‘something is better than nothing’. We will not give one of our guests an item of clothing that is soiled, torn, or in need of repair; we discard such things. When we give someone a piece of clothing we want them to feel good about how it looks on them!

We are looking for clothes, linens and household items that are in good condition, gently used so to speak. As you do your spring cleaning and identify things you’d like to discard here’s a few things to consider:

· If you are discarding clothes that no longer fit or are out of style but in good clean condition, we’d like to have them! Current season is preferred.

· If you’re getting rid of some Teflon pans that are scratched or burned, no thanks.

· If you are getting a new set of dishes and getting rid of the old set because some plates are missing, no problem – we’d love to have them.

· If you have odd bed linens or towels that you are changing out because they don’t match, no problem, we’d like them – but if they are frayed or soiled you should consider giving them to a pet shelter.

· Toys or games the family doesn’t use any more? We’ll take them if there aren’t any parts missing. (Did you ever get frustrated because a jigsaw puzzle was missing some pieces?)

· We are no longer accepting large pieces of furniture, large appliances or large TVs – but if you have a ‘small’ item – meaning one person can carry it down the stairs, we’ll take it: microwaves, nightstands and end tables are especially needed.

· My personal mantra: ‘If in doubt, throw it out!’. As Sister always said, “if it wouldn’t be good enough for someone you love, it’s not good enough for one of our guests.”

Special Need of the Week: towels and washcloths.