Beyond Food: 3 Items To Donate To Women's Homeless Shelters
Posted on: 22 July 2016
If you are looking for a way to make a difference in your community, you might be thinking about donating to a local women's homeless shelter. So many women take to these shelters after being stuck in domestic violence relationships and other bad situations, and having a place to go can be life-changing. However, these shelters can be costly to run, and many of them rely on the donations of good-hearted people in the community to help these women. Obviously, donating food can be a good idea. However, if you'd like to do things a little differently, you should know that there are a few non-food items that can be well-received at women's shelters, too. These are a few items that you can consider donating, whether you have unneeded items in your home or if you are looking to go out and purchase donation items.
1. Feminine Hygiene Products
As many women know, feminine hygiene products can be expensive. They can be especially difficult to purchase for someone who is homeless. Not being able to afford these products can put homeless women in embarrassing and uncomfortable situations, so consider donating various feminine hygiene products to your local women's shelter.
2. Toys and Books for Kids
Many women who are in homeless shelters have children, and some of these children have experienced tough situations in their lives. When a woman with children is homeless, the last thing that she may be able to think about is buying toys and books for her kids. However, having these items can help make homeless kids feel normal again and can give them something to take their minds off of what they are going through.
When choosing toys and books for kids, consider the situations that many of these families are in. Consider offering toys that can be played with quietly in a homeless shelter or other potentially cramped environment. Also, think about whether the toys will need expensive batteries or other accompaniments that the women might not be able to afford. Board games, coloring books, children's books, stuffed animals and other similar toys are all good choices.
3. Purses and Handbags
A purse might not seem like a necessity, but having one can make a homeless woman feel normal again, if only for a little while, and it can provide her with a safe place to carry essentials for herself and any children she might have. Consider donating old purses that you don't use anymore, or purchase a few affordable purses from a discount store. You can even stuff these purses with a few hygiene products, such as deodorant, soap, toothbrushes and other items to make them even more useful.
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