Local nonprofits offer many ways to donate during the holidays – and year round

Por Mónica Garske | Reportero SDUN

‘Tis the season of generosity and giving, and local non-profit organizations could truly benefit from a place on your holiday shopping list.

Three Uptown charitable organizations –The Alpha Project in Hillcrest, Auntie Helen’s in North Park and Christie’s Place in Bankers Hill – are in constant need of donations. This includes a number of things: monetary gifts to keep their community programs running, supplies and, of course, time from dedicated volunteers.

Janice Izor, director of marketing for The Alpha Project said their nonprofit is always in need of basic items, not just during the holidays, but year round.

The Alpha Project, with its main office located at 3737 Fifth Ave., devotes itself to empowering individuals who are homeless. The organization offers programs to help locals get on their feet, providing shelter and affordable housing assistance, medical and counseling services, and employment assistance to those in need across the county.

Among their many outreach programs, the organization runs a 200-bed emergency winter shelter at 16th Street and Newton Avenue, Downtown.

Izor said the emergency shelter operates each year from November through April, during the coldest, rainiest months. She said items for the shelter – blankets, pillows and hygiene products – are always very much needed and appreciated.

“It costs us about $12 per person, per day, to keep this shelter running. Anything helps: from monetary donations to bedsheets, socks, undergarments and warm jackets,” Izor said.

She said contributions of plastic tarps are also needed, as staffers have to turn away many homeless San Diegans from the shelter each night once the facility has reached capacity. Izor said the plastic can be used as a dry area for sleeping or covering up for those who have to sleep on the streets.

Another way to give to the Alpha Project is by volunteering at the shelter. Izor said dinner is served every day at 5 p.m. and groups are always welcome to help with dinner service.

In fact, Izor encourages people to spend time at the shelter or drop donations off in person to get a better feel for what the Alpha Project does.

“If you actually see the shelter and connect with the people we help, it completely changes your perspective. It’s a way to directly connect with those in need; it’ll change your life,” she said.

In addition, the Alpha Project runs a sponsorship program that benefits 193 chronically homeless individuals with disabilities as part of their Permanent Supportive Housing Program. Funds contributed to that program are used for rental assistance, food, utilities and critical support services. Donors can give $17.35 to sponsor an individual for one day, $121.50 to sponsor someone for one week, or $486 to sponsor someone for an entire month, Izor said.

Auntie Helen’s is a nonprofit that provides free laundry services for those living with AIDS. The organization runs a thrift store and laundry service operation located at 4028 30th St. in North Park.

Robert Solis, operations supervisor at Auntie Helen’s, said their nonprofit is in constant need of one big thing: laundry soap.

“Laundry soap always helps. We use it every day to run our free laundry service and we go through it fast,” Solis said.

In addition, the thrift store portion of Auntie Helen’s is always accepting clothing donations. Solis said those items are given away – often times for free – directly to those in need in the community.

“Someone might walk into the thrift store and say, ‘I’m really cold. I could use a blanket.’ We do whatever we can to give them what they need. Nothing feels better than that,” he said.

Solis said Auntie Helen’s is also in the process of raising funds to get their laundry pick-up and delivery service back. Previously this year, the organization was able to pick up and drop off laundry to those who were too sick to leave their homes.

However, Solis said maintaining their truck, along with rising gas prices, has made it difficult to keep that service going. For now, that program is on hiatus until Auntie Helen’s can raise enough money to bring it back, Solis said.

Volunteers can also donate time to Auntie Helen’s. Currently, Solis said more than 25 volunteers work at the laundry facility each week washing, drying and folding laundry. Others volunteer by manning the thrift store.

“We could use a few new cashiers. The shifts are about four hours long,” Solis said. “Many members of our crew are from North Park or the Uptown communities, but everyone is welcome.”

Christie’s Place, a non-profit social service organization providing education, support and advocacy to women, children and families impacted by HIV/AIDS, also offers many ways to help.

The organization, located at 2440 Third Ave. in Bankers Hill, has a running “wish list” of much-needed contributions, including non-perishable food items for their emergency pantry, hygiene products, diapers, baby supplies and $10 or $20 gift cards to give to families for food and clothing to places such as Food4Less, Target and Wal-Mart.

The organization could also use contractors or volunteers to donate time and services to support their center. For instance, volunteers are needed to landscape the patio, repair window treatments and paint the interior of the facility. New chairs are also needed for support groups and meetings.

Both Izor and Solis said charitable contributions tend to slow down a bit after the holidays, so it is important to remember that donations are needed all year long.

Para más información

The Alpha Project
3737 Fifth Ave.
619-542-1877
alphaproject.org

Auntie Helen’s
4028 30th St.
619-584-8438
auntiehelens.org

Christie’s Place
2440 Third Ave.
619-702-4186
christiesplace.org