Call to Action: San Bruno Fire
Updated 9.14.10 8:20 AM PST: Here is a list of recommended organizations you may wish to support with your clothing and toiletry donations. These organizations work everyday to fight poverty and homelessness in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties.
Updated 9.13.10 4:06 PM PST: For details on the donations we have received thus far, please check out this post. Thank you to our drop bin partners, Natural Resources, Junior Gym, and Cubes and Crayons for supporting this drive. Please check them out and support local family friendly business!
Please also note, although we can no longer accept clothing and other supplies, we will continue to accept ongoing diaper/pull ups donations for our diaper bank at the above establishments.
Updated 9.13.10 3:14 PM PST: Due to overwhelming response this weekend we are halting the donation drive effective immediately. We will post details shortly. Thank you all for your support!
Updated 9.11.10 6:30pm PST: We are currently assessing the most direct and effective distribution channel of HAMO donations to families of the San Bruno fire. We share many of our supporters’ concerns about donated items possibly not being offered to families, and we are doing our due diligence to ensure this is not the case. We will keep you updated with details in the upcoming days. Thanks for supporting this drive!
Updated 9.10.10 6pm PST: Just heard word that the Rec Center is currently directing donations to the local Salvation Army. Check out City of San Bruno’s website for up to date information to donate directly in San Bruno.
Up to date information can also be found on ABC7.
Updated: 9.10.10 Noon PST - Christine from Bayview just dropped of 6000 diapers to the Rec Ctr. When the volunteers heard we had Size 5 they ran to the truck!
HAMO diapers and other essentials are currently en route to the San Bruno Recreation Center and two local churches that are sheltering victims of the San Bruno fire. We are partnering up with our friends from the Bayview Mission to get these items to San Bruno residents this morning.
How YOU CAN HELP:
We’re hosting a mini donation drive in the immediate San Francisco area through September 20th.
Items we are collecting:
- Diapers and Pull Ups (all sizes) - high need
- New baby wipes
- New underwear (children, women, men)
- Baby formula
- Gently used, freshly laundered children’s clothing (ages 0-5 especially) Please ONLY donate clothing items that you would use personally for yourself or your family. No stains or rips, please.
Items no longer needed Updated 9.11.10:
- Travel toiletries
- Towels
- Women and men’s clothing
- Feminine hygiene products
Drop off donations c/o HAMO at:
Natural Resources: 1367 Valencia St. (at 25th St.), SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110 (Hours of Operation: Mon-Thurs 11-7 Fri & Sat 11-6 Sun 11-5)
Junior Gym ~ 101 South B Street, SAN MATEO, CA 94401 (Hours of Operation vary. Refer to online schedule for hours)
Cubes & Crayons ~ 154 E. Dana Street MOUNTAIN VIEW 94309 (Hours of Operation vary. C&C is open M-F ONLY. Refer to online schedule for hours.)
HAMO Contact: lisa (at) helpamotherout.org
[...] Help a Mother Out is gathering donations and items to help families who just lost everything. Here is a list of items that they are collecting and can be of use right away: [...]
Just called Cubes & Crayons to be sure someone would be there when I dropped off towels and toiletries – they have no idea they’re supposed to be a donation drop off spot. No one’s told them anything about it.
Colleen, I will have Felicity, the owner call the location. She made the OK this morning.
Thank you. Felicity just replied to my email asking for clarification. She confirmed that it’s a drop off spot! (I expected them to have been able to communicate information immediately to their staff via email or somesuch. Oh well.)
I wanted to ask what the hours for donation are and if open this weekend to receive donations?
Any idea what the drop off hours are to donate clothing and new tolietries at either Jr. Gym or Natural resources?
Thank,
Kris
I live in Houston Tx, and just seen the news on the accident! How or where could a person from here help you over there? Please reply
How long will they be excepting donations at Cubes and Crayons? Please let me know as soon as you know.
Thanks so much for doing this..
Hi Julie. Through September 20th. C&C is only open M-F.
Lori, Thank you for your support. If you would like to purchase diapers via Amazon, here is our wishlist. All diapers collected from now until 20th will be designated to San Bruno families. http://www.amazon.com/wishlist/P7OO25Y7DV6J
I just updated the post with hours and links to online schedules for C&C and Jr. Gym. Thx for donating!
I think that we can help each other out! I have very nice donations that are clean, sorted, packed and ready for distribution. Mens, Womens, Children (Small Boy/Big Boy/Small Girl/Big Girl). I have some diapers, toiletries and bedding as well. The issue I have is transportation!
The goods are in San Francisco, and if we can coordinate pick-up I am very happy to donate these to help the fire victims. Please contact me via e-mail to discuss.
I have kids clothes but they are size 11-14 is that o.k. to donate?
Thanks for getting back so quickly.
What type of food do you need right now? If I bring tolietries would it be helpful if I made travel packs for the residents? For example Put a comb, new tooth brush, soap, shampoo, toothpaste into a travel pouch? Do you just need canned goods? What about cans of baby food? My husband and I would like to help out as much as we can.
Kris
Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to accept canned food or do pick ups. The local food banks and the Red Cross should have food items covered. We will accept baby formula, travel sized toiletries (sealed in a ziploc bag). The Salvation Army will also accept your clothing items. Our biggest need is diapers and pull ups of all sizes, baby wipes.
[...] Get more information on the drive at: http://www.helpamotherout.org/2010/09/10/sanbrunofire/ [...]
So you do not want clothing? I have a bunch of really nice, barely used baby boy clothes, and some adult clothing…from your last post it seems you are not accepting these currently? Is it better to take it to the SA?
Hi Emily, We are definitely accepting donations of baby and toddler clothing (ages 0-5). Thank you!
To Michelle Lacourciere
I live in Burlingame and may be able to run up and transport your goods to San Bruno if you haven’t already made other arrangements – I didn’t see your email address anywhere but best to call me anyway to coordinate as I won’t have access to email for a while – thanks. 650-743-0347
Debbie
we collect clothing from garage sales and donate them to shelters and people in need. We are located in Nebraska and would like to send a box of clothing can you tell me what is the best address to ship the clothing to.
A bunch of GGMG moms are gathering our donations, but Lullaby Lane just sent an email saying that the Red Cross had all the supplies they need. We have clothing — which we want to go directly to kids, not to be sold — and are planning to buy diapers and wipes at Costco.
@Vicky, we have the same concerns too. We are collecting the diapers and clothing and are looking into partnering up with local residents, churches, or a family resource center to help distributed items to families. It’s going to be a long road for all of the families and these supplies will be much appreciated. Thank you!
(correcting my email address)
Do you need toys?
Also, does it help to sort and label (by age, type of clothing (tops, bottoms, onesies…), etc.) the donated items before we bring them to the drop-off location or will such sorting be wasted/duplicated effort? Am planning a drive among my friends and thought sorting might help but wanted to make sure before doing that. Would be a shame if we sorted the items and didn’t need to b/c all items will be thrown into a pile after drop-off and sorted all over again. Just let me know what helps the most (other than the items themselves), if there’s a preference. Thanks!
@Macy, Thanks for supporting this drive. Our preference is for clothes to be labeled and sorted by child’s size and gender, preferably in a cardboard box, or heavy duty garbage bag. Also, we are unable to accept toys due to safety regulations and recalls. Hope this helps! Thanks!
I’ll stop by today. Please feel free to ping me offline if you have a preferred diaper size.
[...] want to thank you all for supporting our donation drive on behalf of families affected by the San Bruno Fire. Over the weekend our donation locations [...]
I’m glad to see their was such a wonderful response for the drive! We’ve had a few neighbors wondering if there is anywhere to donate toys, paper/crayons, etc?
@Fiona, Not sure. We are publishing a PDF with suggestions on where to donate items to needy families. Please look for it at the top of this post.