Hello everyone!
Winter has officially arrived here in central Texas! An early November freeze, last week’s cold rain, and night temperatures less than ten degrees above freezing means that we need cold weather gear! Here are three simple ways to contribute to the ATXHAW 2018-2019 Warmth Drive:
1) Make a monetary donation. Your PayPal donation enables us to purchase items in bulk, which often means a lower cost per item. More savings = more items for those in need.
2) Donate items you already have. Is there a sleeping bag sitting in your garage that hasn’t been used in a year or two? What about that coat from last winter that doesn’t fit anymore? Email our donations coordinator (donations@austinhumanistsatwork.org), and she will put you in contact with a nearby volunteer who will be happy to pick up your donation.
3) Purchase items from our Amazon wish list. We have ponchos, sleeping bags & mats, blankets, and more on our wish list. You choose what you’d like to donate, and with a few clicks, your donation is shipped directly to us.
While you’re browsing our Amazon wish list, be sure to check out the other staples that we need every month. For this Sunday’s giveaway, we especially need lip balm, nail clippers, and heat packs like the ones below. For a full list of everything we do (and don’t) need this month, please visit our What Do We Need? page.
These are pretty nifty – you pop a small bag inside the heat pack, and the heat pack gives off up to 10 hours of heat! They’re great to slip in pockets, shoes, or hats to keep warm when outside for extended periods, like many of our clients. Hot packs are also great to put in sleeping bags to ward off hypothermia when sleeping outdoors.
Volunteer Opportunity!
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church needs volunteers to help on nights when the Cold Weather Shelter system is activated. The Cold Weather Shelter system is a network of churches and community volunteers that provide extra shelter space on nights where the temperature falls below freezing. Volunteers are needed to prepare dinner, monitor showers, clean up the kitchen, spend overnight, and do morning cleanup. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Ed Kopas at edwardkopas@yahoo.com or 512-659-9880.
Knit or Crochet for a Good Cause!
If you’d like to meet some fellow knit wits, come to the Gettin’ Knotty meetup! Our crafting group knits & crochets hats, scarves, and cotton washcloths for our clients.
The group will be meeting this Thursday, December 13th, from 7 PM to 10 PM at the Barnes & Noble in the Arboretum. We’ll have a table in the cafe area, so grab a cup of coffee & spin some yarn with us!
(Psst… You can also drop off donations at the GK meetup!)
We hope you’re having a wonderful December! No dogs were embarrassed in the making of this post. See you on the 16th!