In-Kind Donations

Thank you for your interest in making an in-kind donation to Safe Shores—The DC Children's Advocacy Center. Safe Shores greatly appreciates clothing and toiletry donations made by community members. Indeed, community support enables us to provide even more children with the clothing and toiletries that help move them forward on the road to healing.

The best interests of the children we serve drive all our program policies and decisions. Recognizing the special emotional needs of child victims of abuse, and the importance of being able to maintain a consistently high quality of resources for our clients, beginning August 15, 2007, Safe Shores will only be accepting brand new (previously unworn) clothing. This includes children's clothing, pajamas, underwear, socks, shoes and coats. For a copy of our Clothing Donation Policy, click here.

In light of our small staff and limited space, if a donation of used clothing is brought to the Center, the items cannot be accepted. To assist donors, Safe Shores is pleased to provide a list of organizations that accept used clothing. Please feel free to contact Safe Shores' Victim Services staff at (202) 638-2575 x 100 with any questions or for more information.

Currently, we are in particular need of the following items:

Playroom Items (**All items must be BRAND NEW**)

• Large Legos or plastic blocks
• Etch-A-Sketch or Magna-Doodle
• LeapFrog games for all ages
• Puzzles
• Coloring books and art supplies
• Games: Uno, Connect Four, Trouble, Sorry, CandyLand, Jenga
• G-rated DVD movies
• Infant/Toddler toys (stacking/sorting toys, rings & rattles, push/pull toys

Books
Click here for a list of Safe Shores' requested books (new or like new condition).

Clothing Closet Items (**All items must be BRAND NEW**)

• Click here for a check list to prepare an Emergency Foster Care Take-Away Bag
• Individual in-season clothing items and shoes (We accept Newborn, Toddler, Children's, and Girls' Juniors clothing)
• Socks, underwear, bras (BRAND NEW ITEMS ONLY; must be in plastic protective wrap)
• Toiletry items (BRAND NEW ITEMS ONLY)
• Backpacks, small rolling suitcases, or duffel bags
• We do not accept stuffed animals or adult-sized clothing

Meal Fund Items

• Juice boxes (with 100% juice)
• Small individual boxes of cereal
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Cookies (individually wrapped items preferred), non-dairy pudding cups
• Crackers, Goldfish, pretzels, animal crackers, etc.
• Applesauce (individual cups)
• Dry milk
• Gift certificates to local grocery stores (Safeway, Giant)

Other

Gift certificates to local stores, such as Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Old Navy, Macy’s, etc.

Seasonal Items

• July - September: Back to School supplies & backpacks (pens, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, markers, erasers, pencil sharpeners, pencil boxes, scissors, glue and glue sticks, rulers, protractors, compasses, calculators, book covers, composition books, spiral notebooks, binders, organizers, lined tablets, construction paper, and packs of looseleaf paper)
• September - March: Fall/winter clothing, Coats & winter accessories (Hats, gloves/mittens, scarves)
• October - December: Toys and gifts for the Holiday Assistance Drive [Board & learning games, books & electronic books, puzzles, trucks/cars, toy kitchen sets, ethnic Barbie dolls, Barbie heads, baby dolls (dark skinned), action figures, doll houses, remote control cars, CD walkmans, DVD movies (Disney or "G" rating only), GameBoy Advance & games (E Rating), toddler riding toys, bikes & scooters (all ages), coloring books & crayons, art supplies & art sets, boom boxes, footballs/basketballs, bath & body items (for girls), infant toys]
• April - September: Spring/summer clothing
• Year Round: Bookbags, duffle bags & small rolling suitcases
  

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