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'Tis the season for charitable giving, especially to the homeless. Here is a thread about how to do that in the most productive + helpful way. It’s based on what I've learned from a few years of volunteering at the wonderful @NLAHn16 in Hackney.
Before you collect + donate a bunch of stuff, make sure it's stuff the charity actually needs. Donating large amounts of clothes or gifts or sleeping bags can create a storage problem. Fresh food can quickly perish. Research/ask what’s needed.
(It’s often unsexy stuff like stock cubes, long-life milk, dried rice/pasta, instant coffee/tea, tinned food, socks, razors, toothbrushes etc.)
Hats, socks, gloves are high demand items! Just make sure they’re things YOU would actually wear. They should be new, and if not, in great condition. Black, grey, navy, brown are popular. (Would you want to wear a lime green knitted hat?) Same logic applies to used clothing.
Make sure your ask doesn't serve *your* needs. It feels nice to do something for others—handing out gift bags, or volunteering with your office—but charities are often trying to build community. Random hand-outs can feel transactional & create work for management.
Honestly, often money is best! It pays for non-warm and fuzzy things like a new commercial freezer to store food in, or allows charities to continue to stock up on basics in the leaner months.
Speaking of leaner months, January to March tend to be the hardest time of the year for homeless & rough sleepers. It’s still winter, after all, but much of the December generosity has passed. So consider donating during these less-popular times of year instead.
Remember that homelessness is wildly complex. It is caused by a web of societal and individual factors; quick fixes don’t exist. Homeless people still have a desire for privacy and dignity, just like you and me. Always honour that, and get involved year-round if you can.
Lastly, donate to @NLAHn16! I’ve seen over and over how wonderful the work they do is — it’s intentional, non-judgemental, inclusive, and community-building. (here's something I wrote about it a few years ago: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/mar/02/east-london-hackney-hipsters-humour-locals)
You can donate to their Christmas meal here ( https://growingcommunities.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=41a3199625bf1ec65cbedf7ba&id=36870f8068&e=1241a90c31) or their general fund here: https://www.justgiving.com/nlah
