Holiday Giving Guide
Emily Learned • December 4, 2020
How and where can you give back?
During the holiday season, the Coalition receives many inquiries from people interested in lifting others up in the spirit of giving back. Our Holiday Giving Guide shows how you can give back through opportunities posted by our partner agencies who are in need this holiday season. The holidays are a splendid time to give and showcase compassion for one another. By volunteering or donating items, you can help make the holidays a little brighter for someone in your community.
Name of agency: Avenue 360
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Diane Cervenka
Contact email and phone: dcervenka@avenue360.org
| 713.206.8956
List of agency needs: Food, pajamas, socks, slippers, adult diapers, hygiene products
Accepting volunteers: Yes (painting and participating in quality checks)
Name of agency: The Beacon
Best point of contact to coordinate gifts: Ron Marshall or Damon Wells
Contact email: rmarshall@beaconhomeless.org
or dwells@beaconhomeless.org
List of agency needs: Gently used blankets and coats, packages of new socks, cloth or paper facemasks
Accepting volunteers: Yes, but limiting number of volunteers per shift to 7. Dates most needed: December 18th, 21st, 26th, 27th, and 31st
Name of agency: The Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Brianna Kyles
Contact email and phone: bkyles@tbotw.org
| 713.472.0752 ext. 151
List of agency needs: See needs list
Accepting volunteers: Fully booked for December
Name of agency: Campus of Hope
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Shay Wyatt
Contact email and phone: shelter@campusofhopeonline.org
| 281.639.5099
List of agency needs: Food, paper plates, kitchen plates, men’s pants, men's jeans, men’s other clothes/shoes, hygiene items, used van or car
Accepting volunteers: Yes (building repair, appliance repair, bible teaching evenings)
Name of agency: Collaborating Voices
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Kathy Tatum
Contact email and phone: collaboratingvoices@gmail.com
| 832.449.8687
List of agency needs: Toys, blankets, socks, hygiene products, RV/trucks, fruits/veggies, food, cell phones, hats, clothes, gift cards, direct payment on our furniture account Houston Furniture, bookbags, purses
Accepting volunteers: No
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Renee Blacklaws
Contact email and phone: renee@cac-mctx.org | 936.494.4144
List of agency needs: New blankets, unopened boxes of hot chocolate
Accepting volunteers: Yes, but limiting the number of volunteers in the building at one time
Deadline: December 10th
Name of agency: God's Lovely Butterflies Maternity Home
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Darlene Kearney
Contact email and phone: godslovelybutterflies@gmail.com
| 832.264.7491
List of agency needs: Diapers (Newborn-2t), formula, wipes, other baby items
Accepting volunteers: No
Name of Agency: Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council
Best Point of Contact to Coordinate Gifts: Deborah Alexis
Contact Email and Phone: dalexis@hcdvcc.org
| 713-261-2356
List of Agency Needs: Cutlery, pots, pans, plates, cups, towels, sheets (queen, full, and twin size), pillows, comforters, blankets, cleaning supplies (mops, brooms, cleaning rags, disinfectant spray, etc.), grocery store gift cards, or gift cards to Target, Walmart, or Big Lots.
Accepting Volunteers: No
Name of agency: Harmony House, Inc
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Preston Witt
Contact email and phone: preston_witt@harmonyhouse.org
| 713.221.6213
List of agency needs: hygiene kits, socks, underwear, coats, work boots, clock radios
Accepting volunteers: No due to COVID
Name of agency: Healthcare for the Homeless
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Sharon Agee
Contact email and phone: Sharon.Agee@bcm.edu | 713.286.6047
List of agency needs: Blankets, hygiene kits, shoes, socks
Accepting volunteers: N/A
Name of agency: Main Street Ministries
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Carrie Sadler
Contact email and phone: csadler@msmhouston.org | 281.833.3505
List of agency needs: Clorox wipes, small bottles of hand sanitizer, disposable masks, devotion books
Accepting volunteers: Yes
Name of agency: Montrose Grace Place
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Courtney Sellers
Contact email and phone: courtney@montrosegraceplace.org
| 832.239.0824
List of agency needs: Blankets, coats, beanies, gloves, backpacks, sleeping bags
Accepting volunteers: No
Name of agency: Santa Maria Hostel
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Marcia Chaney
Contact email and phone: mtapp@rocketmail.com
| 832-236-8611
List of agency needs: Socks, new shoes, underwear, all sizes, sweatshirts, gently used coats/jackets, beanie caps
Accepting volunteers: Unable to accept volunteers at this time due to COVID.
Name of agency: The Salvation Army
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Sarah J. Smith
Contact email and phone: Sarah.J.Smith@uss.salvationarmy.org
| 713.878.9374
List of agency needs: Blankets, twin bed sheets, sweatpants, sweatshirts
Accepting volunteers: Yes, please visit www.salvationarmyhouston.org/volunteer
Name of Agency: SEARCH Homeless Services
Best Point of Contact to Coordinate Gifts: Molly Connor, Volunteer Coordinator
Contact Email and Phone: mmartin@searchhomeless.org
| 713-276-3063
List of Agency Needs: COVID-19 Amazon wish list here! Bottled water is currently our highest priority, and you can filter/sort by priority using the menu at the top right of the Amazon webpage.
Accepting Volunteers: Not for the remainder of December
Name of agency: Temenos CDC
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Eva Thibaudeau
Contact email and phone: ethibaudeau@temenoscdc.org | 713.882.8274
List of agency needs: Socks, hats, mittens/gloves, hygiene items, microwaveable noodles/meals/rice/etc., linens, $5.00 and $10.00 gift cards to Walgreens/CVS/Starbucks/McDonalds/etc.
Accepting volunteers: Yes
Name of agency: U.S. VETS - Houston
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Kyra Randall
Contact email and phone: krandall@usvets.org | 832.986.8217
List of agency needs: Socks, ponchos, backpacks, blankets, coats, undershirts, thermal underclothes, snacks, blankets
Accepting volunteers: Case by case basis
Name of agency: Volunteers of America Texas
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Morris Cole
Contact email and phone: mcole@voatx.org
List of agency needs: Mask, socks ( male & female adult), & hygiene kits
Accepting volunteers: Yes
Name of agency: YES to YOUTH – Montgomery County Youth Service
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Shelia King
Contact email and phone: shelia.king@youthmc.org
| 281.292.6471
List of agency needs: Blankets, toothpaste, masks, hygiene kits, shoes, socks, new twin XL sheets, new pillows, new throw blankets, gift cards to Walmart/Target/Academy, cleaning supplies, paper products, hand soap, laundry detergent, dish soap.
Accepting volunteers: Yes, please visit https://www.sayyestoyouth.org/volunteer
Name of agency: We Care Community Housing/ GLH Compassionate Hands
Best Point of contact to coordinate gifts: Dean Paisley
Contact email and phone: Glhcompassionatehands@gmail.com
| 832.962.1622
List of agency needs: Food, blankets, toothpaste, masks, hygiene kits, shoes, socks, jackets
Accepting volunteers: No
If you are a member in good standing with The Way Home CoC and would like to be added to this list, please sent the above information to Emily Learned at elearned@homelesshouston.org
On this World Health Day – and after five years of COVID-19 being declared a global pandemic, we reflect on our system’s work through the Community COVID Housing Program (CCHP) .
March is National Social Work Month!
The fairways were alive with energy, the competition was friendly but fierce, and — most importantly — the mission was at the heart of it all.
