Like all things 2020, ELNA’s holiday Adopt a Family effort will be different this year. Instead of purchasing gifts for a single large family like usual, we’re adopting the DARE Center.
If you’re unfamiliar, the DARE Center is the Drop-in And Rest facility for Lawrence’s houseless, or at risk of houselessness, citizens. Located at 944 Kentucky, the DARE Center is open from 2:30-6:30pm Monday through Friday as a place for people to drop in, take showers, do laundry, have a cup of coffee, and just be out of the weather for a while, no charge and no questions asked. DARE volunteers (all DARE workers are entirely volunteer!) also provide occasional workshops and activities as well as a quiet reading room to guests.
With the closure of other free public spaces like the library, the onset of cold weather, and an increase in houseless needs since COVID began, the DARE Center has become even more important to our community. So, for our Adopt a Family effort, we’d like to support DARE’s good work.
To take part, you have three options.
Donate money directly to DARE
Donate items they can use at the center
Donate $25 Walmart gift cards
To donate directly to DARE, visit their website: https://www.darecenterlawrence.org/take-action. There you can donate money, as well as sign up to volunteer.
You can purchase and donate items for DARE guests. Here’s a quick list: laundry detergent, body wash and/or soap, shampoo and conditioner (don’t forget about products best for ethnic hair!), toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, deodorant, razors and shaving cream, chapstick, lotion, (travel sizes are great!), nail clippers, combs and hairbrushes, socks (all adult sizes), both mens and women’s underwear (all sizes, including sports bras), hats, gloves, pre-packaged snacks such as crackers and granola bars, coffee, sugar, creamer, juice pouches, hot cocoa mix, etc. Basically, anything YOU might like to have if you were hanging out taking a shower and washing laundry. 🙂
You can also donate $25 Walmart gift cards. These Walmart gift cards allow DARE guests to purchase anything specific they might need. Walmart has nearly everything, plus it’s on the bus route, PLUS a uniform gift amount and location gives a sense of equity to all guests.
You can purchase items or gift cards and drop them off at DARE any time they’re open. OR, you can drop items on Lane’s porch (1229 Pennsylvania St) and she’ll collect and deliver them. We want to make it easy for you, our ELNA friends. So, if you’d like to just donate money for us to purchase items and Walmart cards, that’s fine too. Send us a check in the mail to PO Box 442393 Lawrence KS 66044, (made out to ELNA, adopt a fam in memo line) OR slip cash, check, and Walmart gift cards through Lane’s cat door. (No really. The cat door is always unlocked for incoming cats and cash, the cats are nice, and the residents of 1229 Pennsylvania know what to do.)
PLEASE HAVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO US BY FRIDAY DECEMBER 18TH.
Lane will drop off at DARE the following Monday.
Let’s do this! Let us know if you have questions.
Lane and the ELNA Board
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