Why Clothing and Household Items are Important to Survivors

How to Do a Community Service Project:

If you are with an organization (church, civic club, business, etc.) that wants to do a community service project for the Shelter House, call or email Connie Schmoll.

320-235-0475

cschmoll@willmarshelter.com

Connie will be glad to work with you to help develop a project that satisfies your desire to make a difference for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

How to Learn More About Domestic Violence and Educate the Community About Domestic Violence:

If you are with an organization (church, civic club, business, human service agency, etc.) that wants to learn more about domestic violence and what you can do to help educate the public about it, call or email Nicole at

320-235-0962

nicolew@willmarshelter.com

Nicole will help you plan the kind of education/training that is appropriate for presentations to large or small community groups.

The Shelter House is a non-profit organization supervised by a local Board of Directors and administered by local staff . In an average year, two-thirds of Shelter House funding comes in the form of state and federal grants. That means one-third of its funding must come from the communities in which the Shelter House provides services.

While it is fair to say that only a small percentage of the local population receives direct benefits from the Shelter House, it is also correct to say that the entire community benefits from those services.Here are a few reasons why that is true:

• At any given time, all community members have access to Shelter House services.
• People from all sectors of the social and economic spectrum receive Shelter House services.
• People who do not receive direct services themselves may still benefit from those services because they are comforted knowing that friends, neighbors and relatives who need those services may access them when necessary.
• A community functions best when it takes care of those who are hurting in some way.
• Services provided to one sector of the community benefit the entire community in ways which are not always seen, but are very real because they offset social negatives (e.g. abuse, murder, etc.) with social positives (support, caring, money, etc.)
• Evidence of strong, local support (volunteers, cash, donated goods and services) is required by government funding sources that require a measure of "local match" to complement government grants. Minimal "local match may result in reduced government funding for local services.
• Even the need for local services such as those provided by the Shelter House remains strong, government funding has diminished. There is only one way to maintain the quality and quantity of services: Local, cash donations.

Why Clothing and Household Items are Important to Survivors: Imagine Starting a Home from Scratch!

If you have never been homeless, you can't fully appreciate the challenges of establishing a new home with practically nothing. Sad to say, this is the problem that many battered women face after leaving their abusers.  

Many families have little more than the clothes on their backs when they escape the life-threatening dangers in their homes. They know full well what they are leaving behind, but the risks to themselves and their children are more important than material things. They must leave -- and fast! 

After the Shelter House helps with the emergency shelter and safety planning and all the other needs victims encounter, it also helps them find new housing and furnish it with the basics. Because money is always an issue, those basics typically come in the form of donations from Shelter House supporters.

If you would like to give these families a jump start in creating a home in which they can feel safe and secure, here are a few guidelines we ask you to observe.

• Baby and Infant Items
  • Diapers
  • Clothing
  • Toys
  • Cribs
  • Car Seats (not more than four years old

• Clothing
  • Summer and Winter -- in season
  • All kinds for women, children and teens
  • Occasionally we need clothing for men

• Kitchen
  • Utensils
  • Tableware
  • Appliances: Range, refrigerator, microwave, mixer
  • Pots and pans
  • Furniture
  • Glassware

• Bathroom
  • Supplies
  • Towels and washcloths
  • Toiletries

• Bedroom
  • Beds
  • Dressers and night stands
  • Linens, blankets

• Living room
  • Furniture (sofas, chairs, tables)
  • Lamps
  • Curtains
  • Television sets and dvd/vhs player

• Household
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Appliances: Clocks, radios, vacuum cleaners, fans
  • Tools: Basic tool kit, snow shovel, flashlight, night lights,storage bins with lids
  • Phone cards

• Gift Certificates
• Gas
• Hair salon
• Oil change 
• Grocery Store

• Car seats more than four years old.
• Cribs that are more than five years old and do not have written certifications regarding compliance with current safety features.
• Old computers
• Hide-a-beds
• Console TV's
• Very heavy furniture
• Non-functional decorating items such as:
  • Pictures
  • Wall plaques
  • Pottery and glassware

• Call First

We have limited space to store donated items and our need for particular items varies from week to week. Therefore, we require that all potential donors call the Shelter before delivering the items.

• Call 320-235-0962. Ask for Rosa.

• Sometimes we may ask you to keep larger items (beds and furniture, etc.) until we have room to store them or until a family is ready to use them. In this case, we will record the item you have to give and your name and phone number. Then we will call you when the family is ready to receive them.

• In the case of larger items like beds and furniture, we may ask you to deliver the items directly to another location so that we can avoid handling them twice. This could be more convenient for you also if the family that receives the item lives in your community instead of Willmar.

Thank you...

for helping victims of domestic violence get a fresh start in their lives. Equipping a new home is one of the most important services we provide.