Refugee Outreach Collective hosts donation drive for a local refugee resettlement agency

Refugee Outreach Collective at CWRU (ROC@CWRU Undergrad) is hosting their first annual fall donation drive from Oct 9-20! Items will be donated to the U.S. Committee of Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a local refugee resettlement agency that has been welcoming newcomers to Cleveland since 1916.

There will be two donation boxes for the drive. One will be located in the atrium of Thwing Center, while the other will be located in suite 160 of the Health Education Campus (HEC). Items that can be donated include the following (NOTE: These items should be new or gently used. Our focus is on dignity. All of these items are needed, the bolded ones are the most urgent needs which USCRI is almost entirely out of):

  • Kitchen: can openers, spatulas, wooden spoons, measuring cups, sieves, graters, cutting boards, mixing bowls (metal or glass), flatware trays, complete sets of flatware, sponges, glasses, cups, strainers, serving bowls, platters, kitchen towels, oven mitts, large frying pans, stock pots, sauce pans, large baking dishes                                                                                                                              
  • Bedroom: blankets, comforters, sheet sets and mattress pads (full and twin), pillows, throws
  • Bathroom: heavy shower liners, shower rings, bath mats, washcloths
  • Cleaning: hand soap, brooms, dustpans, mops, buckets, floor cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, toilet brushes, dish soap, 13-gallon kitchen trash cans with lids, small bathroom trash cans, vacuums
  • Laundry: baskets, detergent, hangers, clotheslines, clothespins
  • Household Items: lamps: floor and table (working order), lightbulbs; rugs: the bigger the better
  • Bags: reusable grocery bags large and small, rolling “granny cart” for groceries
  • Appliances: tea kettle (stovetop and electric), microwave ovens, coffee pots (stovetop and electric), toasters, pressure cookers, rice cookers (in working order)
  • Paper products: paper towels, tissues, and toilet paper
  • Toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, razors, lotion, floss, combs, toothbrush, toothpaste, band aids, Q-tips, nail clippers and files, hairbrushes, feminine products
  • Baby: baby and children’s shampoo, baby lotion, Pack-n-Play cribs and sheets, standard cribs, crib mattress, crib sheets, diapers sizes 4, 5, and 6
  • Children: books that teach the alphabet and early math skills, soccer balls, baby dolls with all skin colors, backpacks with school supplies (rulers, scissors, calculators, paper, folders, tape)
  • Visa Gift Cards for Groceries ($25 or more) – Marc’s, Walmart, Save-A-Lot
  • For furniture or electronics (e.g., laptops, sewing machines) donations, please email photos of the item(s) to hwd14@case.edu

Donating these items to USCRI is integral to aiding refugees and refugee families across the Cleveland area. ROC@CWRU Undergrad hopes you can help!