Moms Helping However They Can...

[moonstar]

When Christmas was almost upon us we all remembered the less fortunate and we did an amazing thing. We gave of ourselves and helped where help was needed. Now that Christmas has passed and we are into the New Year a lot of us still have the less fortunate in our thoughts.
Many of us have friends or family that have used or will need the use of the services that our city offers to its residents.
These services seem to get an abundance of help over the holiday season and when those holidays pass, the need is still there but the supply may not be so great.
As a Community of Women who support and help each other emotionally and however else we can be it on the forums or in person we are an amazing force that knows no bounds.
This year we would like to use this Community to reach out to a larger Community, Calgary.
We would like to have four planned Donation Drives this year to support Calgary Based Charities that support the things closest to our hearts, Families, Women and Children.
Our goal is to be another avenue that charitable associations can use, in search of support, funding and volunteers. We as a community would like to be able to offer that support.
In order for our efforts to succeed this community needs your input, your advice and your commitment to help wherever you can …it could be with your time, things in your home you no longer use, or just your ideas on how to make things run smoothly.
We will also need your suggestions of charities that could benefit from our help and ideas on what we can do to help them.
Thanks for taking the time to read. Here’s to a great year for everyone.

[britt]

Did you want us to post our ideas in here?

LittleWarriors.ca --based out of edmonton
Sheriff King Family Support Centre
Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter

[moonstar]

Yes, thanks Britt...please post ideas or thoughts in this thread so we can keep them all together and decide which ones to help this year!! Also post in here if you want to volunteer your time or anything else.

[CandiceR]

This year instead of gifts we donated to the Women's Shelter. (Last year was the SPCA)
I would really like the opportunity to donate my time and show my son what really matters in life. He's so young but hey, its never too early right?
I was thinking about visiting elderly patients. They might enjoy spending time with a baby. My friend also volunteered to walk animals at the shelter. We will do this when my son is older.

I'm looking forward to reading posts on here and getting some good ideas.

[danderson]

Calgary Womens Emergency Shelter
They have a wish list online as well as a 'wish book' where items may be purchased. Their wish list includes:

Gift cards - cards from WalMart, Superstore and other businesses where both clothes and food can be purchased are preferable
New underwear, socks, slippers and sleepwear for women and children
Unused toiletries (regular sizes as opposed to trial sizes)
Feminine hygiene products
Baby items: formula, food, bottles, wipes
Toys for children of all ages



Calgary Interfaith Food Bank
They have a list of 'Most Needed Food Donations' online. These items include:

Pasta Sauce
Pasta
Peanut Butter
Juice (1 litre)
Canned Tomatos
Baby Formula with Iron
Canned Beans in Tomato Sauce
Cereal
Canned and Dry Soup
Baby Food (jars)
Canned Fish
Macaroni and Cheese
Canned Vegetables
Rice
Canned Meat
Canned Fruit
Processed Cheese Spread (jar)



The Womens Centre of Calgary
They also have a list of needed items:

books of bus tickets
grocery store gift certificates
shampoos
deodorants
lotions
soaps
toothpaste
toothbrushes
combs
hairbrushes
mall / department store gift certificates
canned & packaged foods
feminine hygiene products
diapers
formula
hats, mitts, socks and scarves for winter



Brown Bagging for Calgary Kids Society
They have volunteer opportunities preparing and packing lunches, and also delivering lunches.



AVENTA - Addiction Treatment for Women
They don't have a specific list, but they have examples of items that have been donated in the past. These include:

afghans
gift baskets



Servants Anonymous Society of Calgary
Their list of commonly donated items:

clothing
furniture
appliances
toys for our Participants and their children



The Mustard Seed
They have a list of "Urgent Needs:"

New men's underwear
Men's pants and shirts
New (not used) pillows
Aprons
4 litre ice cream pails with lids
T-shirts
Razors

...and also a list of other needed items:

Comfortors
Bus tickets

[danderson]

Some of these charities also have volunteer opportunities... ie. The Mustard Seed. We could arrange a day for a bunch of us CMoms to go prepare/serve a meal.

[Taggelera]

There's also Women In Need, they help women that are leaving the shelters that need a hand establishing themselves.
A list of what they need is..

WINS Thrift Stores are currently accepting donations of gently used:



* Clothing, including seasonal
* Bedding, curtains and linens
* Shoes, boots and sandals and accessories-hats, belts, socks, gloves
* Books, puzzles, CD’s, DVD’s, and games
* House hold items-kitchen, bathroom, and home décor
* Small appliances- e.g. can openers, coffee makers, microwaves
* House hold electrical items-lamps, radios, stereos, TV’s, clocks
* Computer accessories (keyboards, mouse, speakers)
* Newer sporting and exercise equipment
* Bicycles, and tricycles
* Seasonal items- e.g., Christmas, Halloween, Easter
* Tools- e.g. hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches
* Camping equipment-
* Baby items less than two years old (cribs, strollers,
* Jewelry, collectibles, and antiques
* Furniture
* Mattresses, railings, and beds
* Packaged toys, balls, outdoor games/toys
* Purses and luggage, back packs, wallets



Unfortunately, WINS Thift Stores cannot accept the following items as they do not meet the needs of those helped by WINS:



* large appliances, e.g. stoves, washers, dryers, freezers,
* Hide-a-beds, waterbeds, stained/torn mattresses
* Gas powered barbeques, trimmers, lawn mowers
* Unpackaged baby toys, bottles, nipples
* Cribs, and high chairs older than two years
* Baby swings, baby gates, baby walkers, car seats
* Desks over 4 feet in length or metal heavy metal/wood desks
* Wall units over 5 feet wide
* Fluorescent tube lights, hood fans, hard wired electrical items
* Encyclopedias
* Hazardous goods-paint, aerosols, chemicals
* Outdoor swing sets and trampolines
* Large auto parts
* Ammunition, guns, and knives



We ask that all donations are in no need of cleaning or repair.



WINS is currently accepting donations of clothing, household goods and furniture. Following are some general guidelines for dropping off donations at WINS:

*
Please contact the individual store before dropping off donations. This will ensure that we have the physical capacity to accept donations when you are dropping off. See Thrift Stores for contact information
*
Please drop off donations of clothing and household itmes from Monday – Saturday 9:30-4:00. For health and safety reasons, we are unable to use items that are dropped off after hours.
*
If you would like more information about what donations we are in need of, please call 252-3826.

Free Pick-up Services

If you are unable to bring your donated items to a WINS Thrift Store, a free pick-up service operates Monday through Saturday, from 9:30am – 4:30pm. For all pick-up requests, we ask that you have a minimum of 10 large bags or boxes of goods.

Please call 252-3826 or e-mail us with the following information to arrange a pickup. Please note that all emails will be answered within no later than 2 business days.

[seven4me]

I was thinking about visiting elderly patients. They might enjoy spending time with a baby.

I wondered about that too... How would one go about finding out if there is a program like that... Or if we could start one. :dunno:

[Q-TPiesMom]

Brown bag lunch program (meals on wheels for kids)
Dont know exactly what schools do this but maybe we could add soup to the mix. Not sure what it would take, but all kids deserve a meal a day. There are also schools that do breakfast clubs and feed kids in the morning dont know what they require but this is something as moms would like to know if a child doesnt get much food at home at least they eat at school.

Boys and girls clubs of Calgary are non profit and Im not sure what they could use but are a big part of the community

community clean up in the spring time maybe we could set something up as a group to clean a park area up

[CandiceR]

I wondered about that too... How would one go about finding out if there is a program like that... Or if we could start one. :dunno:

I'm not sure. I think I'll just call and ask to speak to the resident manager or the events coordinator. I'll post any findings.

[britt]

Just an FYI: I am in the process of writing an ebook with a friend of mine for the brownbag lunches charity.... :D

[Mango]

This is a great idea. Not sure if I have any more ideas then what you guys have already touched on, but I'll help out whenever/however I can.

[Kikii]

I always like the idea of Charity garage sales, with everything that doesn't sell get donated. :)