When a person experiences homelessness, they often give up everything they own in pursuit of safe shelter—including what most people would consider “the essentials.”
So, anytime a person exits homelessness, Good Samaritan provides that household with a Welcome Home basket—a laundry basket filled with household and personal items. You can help provide one of these baskets to brighten someone’s day as they open the door to their next phase of life.
Last year, Good Samaritan provided more than 80 Welcome Home baskets to neighbors exiting homelessness on their journey from surviving to thriving.
This fall, as Good Samaritan continues its work to end homelessness and poverty in our Ottawa County community. As part of Good Samaritan’s Homelessness Awareness Month, you can help provide essentials to our neighbors when they enter their new safe, sustainable, affordable housing.
Each Welcome Home basket starts with a medium- to large-sized laundry basket. You can fill it with household and personal items like these:
- Toilet paper
- Paper towel
- Trash bags
- Paper plates
- Plastic utensils
- Dish soap
- Laundry detergent
- Cleaning supplies
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- Toilet bowl brush
- Deodorant (men’s and women’s)
- Toothpaste (adult and children’s)
- Toothbrushes (adult and children’s)
- Shampoo/Conditioner
- Wash cloths and hand towels
- Broom & dustpan/mop
- Plastic wrap/aluminum foil
- Calendar
Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list. You’re invited to provide any household and personal items in your Welcome Home basket that someone would find useful.
Download the Welcome Home basket flyer here.
If your church, business, or group would like to organize a Welcome Home basket supply drive, please let us know! You can contact Bryan Haley, Director of Communications, by emailing bhaley@goodsamottawa.org or calling Good Samaritan’s offices—(616)392-7159.
Once your Welcome Home basket is ready, you may drop it off to our Holland or Grand Haven offices during normal business hours, or contact us to arrange a pickup. Thank you for helping us unlock opportunities!
For more information about Good Samaritan’s Homelessness Awareness Month initiative and other ways to get involved, visit Good Samaritan’s website.
