After the events in Afghanistan that occurred in the last year, Afghan families are already arriving and resettling in Silicon Valley, seeking safety and a better life for themselves and for their children. Many of these families left their home country with very few possessions of their own, and we are calling in our community to support these families as they rebuild their lives here in Santa Clara County. 

As we have for almost five decades, AACI welcomes these newest members of our diverse community and stands ready to assist them as they adjust to their new lives. AACI’s Center for Survivors of Torture is the only specialized behavioral health program in Santa Clara County to provide services to newly arrived refugees. We hope you will join us in welcoming our newest neighbors and in doing all that we can to assist them during this transition.

DONATION GUIDELINES:

Please note that AACI has a new items only policy. Because these families and individuals are currently going through the process of resettling into a new home and many arrived with only a small bag of their personal belongings, we want to ensure that all donations are new and unused to help them rebuild their lives with dignity.

How do I know which families need support or what items I should donate?

• You can choose an individual or family to "adopt" by selecting a profile below.
• By clicking on a profile, you can learn more about the individual or family's background and wish list(s).
• Please note: we ask that you sponsor a family only if you are able to fulfill the entire family's wish list. For larger families that may have larger wish lists, we encourage you to gather your friends and/or family members to collect and donate items together.

Is there a deadline for when I need to donate by?

• Certain wish lists have a fulfillment deadline. The deadline will be included in the profile description.

If you have any questions regarding your donation, please reach out to the Resource Development team via email (development@aaci.org).

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If you would like to explore other ways to give, visit our collection drive, AACI Assists: Welcome Kits for Refugee Families, here: www.roonga.com/aaciwelcomekits.

Did you know Dr. Seuss' birthday is on March 2nd? This is why March is deemed National Reading Month. At VOA Illinois, we believe in the power of reading to inspire growth and improve literacy among the children we serve. Reading not only improves literacy, but also impacts empathy, emotional intelligence, and overall academic success. But, access to books is a challenge for many. That's why during the month of March we're hosting a book drive to collect books for the children and youth we serve. Join us in making a difference by purchasing a book bundle and help us inspire the next generation of readers and leaders!

If you're looking to create a team drive, or have any questions about this drive, please contact Katie Rigley at krigley@voail.org. If you'd like to learn more about VOA Illinois and how you can get involved, please contact development@voail.org.

We know that by third grade, reading proficiency shifts from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." If children cannot read proficiently in third grade, they fall behind.

In Spartanburg County, only 50% of third graders are testing at or above grade reading level. That’s why United Way of the Piedmont is focusing on increasing literacy through our Prepared to Thrive initiative.

And as part of Prepared to Thrive, we are collecting book donations to support first-year teachers as they establish their classroom libraries.

There are several book bundles (1 bundle = 3 books) to choose from that will be distributed to Students in Spartanburg, Cherokee, and Union Counties. Look for the header of the County you'd like to purchase books for, then choose which book bundle(s) you’d like to purchase, and simply add them to your cart.

Your donations will be used by local students right here in United Way of the Piedmont's tri-county footprint as they head into summer break.

Questions? Contact Lauren Hultstrand, Director of Community Engagement at lhultstrand@uwpiedmont.org

Thank you for your interest in adopting a family from our 2022 Holiday Giving Program. 

All of our families have been successfully adopted by our generous donors but we still have many clients that are in need of some holiday cheer!

We serve many more families than can be adopted, so we set up a Holiday "Giving Tree" Warehouse, where our staff are able to 'shop' for their client families.  More than 700 kids and adults will receive gifts but we need generous donations to make that happen!

Can you be one of our holiday elves and provide gifts for families in need? 

There's a list of items below that are needed by December 12.

Items can be dropped off at our Gilroy office (9015 Murray Ave).  Or donate gift cards/cash and we'll do the shopping. 

To donate cash to our Holiday Giving Tree Warehouse, please click here and designate Holiday Giving Program as your cause.  

Items in need:
Toys, Art Kits, Dolls, Sensory Toys, Building Blocks (legos/duplos), Blankets, Portable Heaters, Crockpots, Towels, Bedding, Dishes, Hygiene Kits, Shaving Kits, Make-up Kits, Hoodies & Sweatshirts (all sizes, kid & adults), Pots & Pans, Kitchen Utensils, Journals, Flashlights, Beanies & Gloves, DIY Craft Kits, Outdoor Games, Balls, Gift Cards.
New and unwrapped gift items only please.

If you have any questions, please email   jackie.starkovich@communitysolutions.org

Thank You & Happy Holidays!

Every child experiencing homelessness that we serve receives a NEW backpack filled with school supplies. We are also distributing art kits and gift cards to students. Help us make sure that every student we serve has a backpack, school supplies, and resources to learn. 

Help military families enjoy the beach! Equip volunteers from Blue Star Families with materials to clean the beach near Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island, NY. 

Southwest Solutions, in partnership with Family Alliance for Change, Youth United, The Guidance Center, and the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, are excited to host their annual Back to School Bash! 

YOU have the opportunity to give the kids in your community the tools they need to succeed. When students arrive prepared, they are set up to thrive in school. 

Thank YOU for being the change-maker that our students need. You are truly changing their lives. 

Ready, Set, School! is an annual drive hosted by Integrated Family Community Services (IFCS) to collect new backpacks and grade-appropriate school supplies for income qualified Kindergarten through 8th grade children in metro Denver, Colorado.  

Your help is needed to equip 250 or more children with essential school supplies to begin the school-year. This program lessens the financial expenses of back-to-school needs for financially struggling families.  Having school supplies equips these kiddos for a successful year. 

Once you have purchased school supplies and/or additional gift cards through this collection drive, please consider providing your sponsored child(ren)'s family(ies) with fresh produce by becoming a Family Food Donor.

HOW TO BECOME A FAMILY FOOD DONOR?

Make a grocery box donation by using the link below:

https://donorbox.org/ifcs-ready-set-school

Families will pick up school supplies and fresh produce on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.  

If you have any questions about this drive or the work IFCS does in service for the community, please visit our website at www.ifcs.org or contact Sandra  Blythe-Perry at Contact Executive Director - IFCS.

Our work is possible because of your support of IFCS' mission.  Thank you for feeding young stomachs and minds!

Help FEARLESS! fill backpacks for youth in both Orange and Sullivan counties! In addition to Roogna, we're collecting supplies from our wishlist and gift cards for back-to-school clothes shopping through August 30th to our business office.

Download our wishlist!

FEARLESS! is closing our Roogna supplies drive on August 15th to ensure items arrive on time for our students.

We appreciate your support!

BPD Information here

Everyone deserves a childhood – but the children who come to D.A. Blodgett - St. John’s have faced things like trauma, abuse, neglect, and other challenges. Like any other children, what they need most is to feel safe and loved. That need is sometimes deepest during the holidays.

You can help give them the childhood they deserve – to experience the warmth and wonder of the season, the simple joy of a gift picked just for them. The DABSJ Holiday Gift Drive is your chance to provide that magic.

Gifts will be distributed to over 300 kids in our counseling, foster care, adoption, mentoring, and residential programs.

Please visit dabsj.org/gift/monetarygift if you want to make a financial donation or another way to give. Have questions? Contact Celeste Blakeley at cblakely@dabsj.org.

You can find magic wherever you look.  Sit back and relax, all you need is a book!” – Dr. Seuss

March is National Reading Month. To celebrate, Rocket Companies® are partnering with United Way of Greater Cleveland for the 2023 Virtual Book Drive!

All books donated will go to United Way of Greater Cleveland grantee partner: Starting Point. Starting Point is the leading expert in quality childcare, early education, and out-of-school time resources in Northeast Ohio. 

United Way of Greater Cleveland believes that tackling poverty in our community requires innovation, strategic partnerships, and a multigenerational approach. By supporting this book drive, you are helping to instill a love of reading, and in turn, cultivate the long-term success for the children in our community.

Thank you to Rocket Companies' dedicated employees for your ongoing support of United Way of Greater Cleveland!  

Join Rocket Companies in giving the gift of reading through this book drive, benefitting Valley of the Sun United Way's "Book in a Bag" program. Together, we will create one-of-a-kind gifts for children in underserved neighborhoods to inspire a lifelong love of reading. 

At Valley of the Sun United Way, we have set a Mighty goal to increase early childhood literacy in Maricopa County, as measured by the 3rd grade reading benchmark, by 25% over the next 5 years. 

March is Reading Month, so for the second consecutive year the Rock Family of Companies and United Way of Greater Charlotte have partnered together to present a book drive benefitting Promising Pages. You can help children in low-income communities who often lack access to critical resources like books. You can help support their development and instill a love of reading that can help pave the way for a brighter future. Each book has been selected by Promising Pages, which means that your donation is making a direct impact on a child in your community! Give the gift of knowledge by purchasing any or all of the books listed below.