Category: Needs

Every week, we’ll try to post a list of current announcements ranging from current in-kind needs, volunteer opportunities, and quick news. Please help us by passing along any of our needs to people who may be able to help!

VOLUNTEER NEEDS

Driver with a van (or mini-van)

GMC is searching for someone with a van (or two people with two mini-vans) who would be willing to drive a small group of GMC guests and staff to and from the Nationals game on Tuesday, July 8. The driver is invited to the game with us!

The maximum number of people in the group, drivers included, is 10 people. Please contact Stephanie Chan, Communications Director, at stephanie@gmcgt.org for more information or if you are interested.

Volunteers for Georgetown Community Homeless Census

GMC and the BID are planning to do a summer follow up to the annual winter Point in Time count of homeless persons. The tentative date for this is Wednesday, July 23 or Thursday, July 24 starting at 9pm.

We are searching for volunteers to help us count and survey homeless individuals in Georgetown that night. Volunteers should be 16 years or older and able to walk at least a mile. Please contact Stephanie Chan at stephanie@gmcgt.org for more information or if you are interested.

IN-KIND NEEDS

Supplies for GMC’s Art Therapy Group

GMC is starting its very own Art Therapy group led by a psychologist who is volunteering with us. Please help us get this group off the ground. We are in need of two simple supplies — newsprint pads and crayons.

Supplies can be dropped off at GMC any day between 8am and 4pm. Please let the staff person know that they are for our art therapy group.

Our winter shelter opens in under a week, and we are in dire need of twin-sized blankets, sheets, and pillowcases. Please help us by donating any spare sheets, pillowcases, and blankets you may have. Drop offs can be made at our center any day between 8am and 4pm. Please call in advance (202-338-8301) to schedule a drop off time. Thank you!

We are in need of bath towels for our shower program. Do you have any gently used towels that you can donate? We are open seven days a week from 8am to 4pm, and you can bring towels any time we are open. We run 20 showers a day for the homeless every day of the week, and our towels either need to be retired into cleaning rags or walk out the door because people need them on the street. Can you help us replenish our stock of towels?

We are happy to announce the start of our very own clothes closet! When we renovated our center in 2011, we decided to knock down a few walls in order to create a space for our guests to come, sit, and hang out. Doing so meant getting rid of our clothes closet and turning away most clothing donations due to lack of storage space.

A year and a half later, we have transformed a tiny office in Grace Church into our clothes closet! And, having a clothes closet means that we can accept clothing donations again (in limited quantities; the room is still small). The closet is currently being organized and manned by two enthusiastic Georgetown University students, Alex and Kathryn. They have been coming in once or twice a week to organize incoming donations and to distribute clothing every Friday at 10am. Needless to say, our guests are ecstatic about this news.

If you wish to donate clothes, please call Stephanie (202-338-3801) ahead of time to check whether or not we are in need of certain items. We will be posting on our blog, Facebook, and Twitter items that are in high demand. Right now, there have been many requests for jeans, with 32-36″ waists being the most in demand sizes. Our guests also often request belts, since it is difficult to acquire well-fitting pants on the street.

Many people have been asking us about what we need, what they can donate, and what donation drives they can organize for us. Below is a list of things we are always in need of. We hope this list also lends itself to successful drives that one can organize at their school, congregation, workplace, or local community.

• adult socks, underwear, and undershirts
• thermal undershirts and pants, hats, gloves, and scarves
• washcloths, towels
• toothpaste and shaving cream
• paper, pens
• yarn – multiple skeins of the same color/type, preferably
• crochet hooks, knitting needles
• books
• $5-$10 gift cards to Subway, Starbucks, Safeway, etc.

Donations can be dropped off at Georgetown Ministry Center between 8am and 5pm any day of the week. Questions? Please call us at 202-338-8301. Thanks!