ways to help HRI

A lot of people have been asking lots of questions about my new job. Most of the time, they want to hear about what I do and how we save so many people and their homes. Thankfully, almost all of them also ask how they can help.

I've mentioned before our love bucket, which I am always taking donations for. This is a small basket of toiletry items that sit out on my desk, and are free for clients to take. A few times a week I interview people in need of new, affordable housing...and sometimes they have very little. This basket is just another small way we can help, so if you have any travel size items (lotion, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, soap, etc.) send them my way!

We are also still taking donations for our WALK HOME to end homelessness. The event on March 23rd was a huge success, as currently we have raised around $90,000 to go directly toward helping our clients. If you would like to make a financial donation, click here.

I have decided as sort of another side project, to collect items for clients in our family shelter who are locating new housing but unfortunately do not have much to move into that new housing. Our clients come from all different walks of life, and all have different stories. Sadly, some of those stories resulted in them losing everything...or never really having anything of their own to begin with. I get super excited to move a family into a new home, only to realize they have literally nothing to move.

SO this is where you and I come in to play :) If you have any smaller items, like blankets, kitchen items, household items, small appliances, etc., that you would like to get out of your way, send them to me! I can pass them along to families in need at literally any point in time you give them to me.

OR if you have larger items, like beds, furniture, mattresses, dressers, etc. you can somehow get them to me in the Kalamazoo County area, and I will get them to Catholic Charities. They are one of our partners, and they recently received a grant to add five more apartments to their programing. These programs are specifically for homeless youth, and aimed to getting them off the street and in a safe environment. It's great news that they received the money to have these apartments...HOWEVER they have NO furnishings for them. So get your larger items to me  by the end of May, and I will schedule a pick up with them!

If you are not in Kalamazoo County and are getting sort of tired of me rambling on about only this area...I can't really apologize. I love this town and helping people here has become my passion. However, I do recommend that if you are interested in making a difference in your community to research organizations like Housing Resources and Catholic Charities. I grew up here and had no idea all this need was in my own back yard. All it takes is a little motivation and desire to want to help. And if you need help getting started, feel free to contact me :)

Be the change. Make the difference.