Looking for a way to help our neighbors in need? You can make a difference and help those in need by donating or hosting a donation drive. Drives include collecting items such as: clothing, blankets, pillows, sheets, shoes, food, and other necessities for those living in poverty. Below, you will learn about a few different donation drives and why they are so important to our organization and those we serve.
HOST A FOOD DRIVE:
Canned Food Donation Drive
Everyday MVK opens its doors to feed hundreds of individuals and families. Due to the increase in homelessness and poverty in the Coachella Valley, Martha’s Village wants to ensure that no family or individual ever has to make the horrible choice between buying food or paying the rent.
Each week (Monday-Friday), Martha’s distributes emergency food to those in the community that come from low income households. In addition to this, the third Wednesday of every month MVK hosts a Food Distribution Day where more items including fruits and vegetables are given. The majority of the food that it given on this day is also from the USDA Find Food Bank.
- Roughly 970 people received last month’s distribution.
- While 300 of those who utilized MVK’s Emergency Distribution were elderly.
- MVK helped over 100 children last month with food by providing the distribution.
HOST A DRIVE FOR BABY SUPPLIES:
Martha’s Village and Kitchen also helps our families in need with baby supplies such as: formula, diapers, wipes, and baby food. This resource is only available because of community donations.
- Over 30 families from the community utilized this service last month.
- This service also assists with baby essentials for the families residing at Martha’s Village and Kitchen.
HOST A DRIVE FOR HYGIENE SUPPLIES:
Throughout the month, Hygiene Kits are given to those in need. The kits are made up of essentials like tooth brushes, tooth paste, razors, travel size soaps, travel sized shampoos, and feminine napkins. Again, this is only available to those in need because of donations and drives from others in our local community. We appreciate your continued support of Martha’s!
HOST A CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS DRIVE:
District Attorney’s Office Shoe Drive.
We encourage people to host a blanket or clothing drive, and or donate gently used items like shoes or socks, because the community greatly benefits from these items. Our neighbors in need (public clients) and residential clients of Martha’s Village and Kitchen, are eligible to go to our thrift store location and get a fresh change of clothing (items like shoes, socks, shorts and shirts) from what has been donated.
- In the past eight months over 460 members of our homeless community have utilized this valuable resource.
- Items like pillows, sheets, towels and blankets that have been donated to Martha’s, are also items that are used for the 120 men, women, and families residing in the village. These items are needed year round and are less frequently donated.
There are so many ways to make donating fun! Listed below are just a few ideas that can get people involved and motivated for a great cause.
- You can make collecting donations into a competition: Create a challenge between work departments or classrooms. Maybe a race between friends. The one who brings in the most amount of items wins!
- Make it fun: Can the office! Fill a car or fill the office with Blankets, coats, cans, or non-perishables.
- Create a slogan for your drive: Like “Dare to Care” or “Winter Warm Up”.
- Make it a community or neighborhood project: Something similar to a “Spring Cleaning Event”.
HOW TO GET STARTED:
Martha’s encourages family, friends, schools, churches, community organizations and others to host a Donation Drive at a set location for a specific amount of time. MVK will help provide boxes for your drive, signage, a poster or flyer, and a list of the items needed most throughout the village. You can visit us online and fill out a Donation Drive Application or contact us directly at 760-347-4741 ext. 120.
All of the great work Martha’s Village and Kitchen is able to do, is all made possible through community donations. Without your generosity by donating or hosting drives for gently used clothing, blankets, food, diapers, hygiene supplies, these resources available to those living in poverty would not be possible.
Unable to host a Donation Drive but still want to help? Consider making an online donation today to help support our Neighbors in Need.