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Gift-in-Kind Wishlist & Community Donations

There are two very practical ways that you can directly support our life-changing Christmas project: buying urgently needed items direct from our online wish-list, and by organising a donation drive in your local community. 

Our online wish-list is an easy way to make sure you’re giving the items we most need, and because they get shipped directly to us, this option makes your gift giving as efficient and effective as possible.  Donations from community groups also play a vital role in helping us obtain urgently needed items.  We recommend starting your Community Donations Drive in October or November, to allow ample time for people to bring their items to your collection point. This poster can be edited to reflect the details of your collection, then printed and displayed to assist with your donation drive Our Canning Town warehouse will then be open to receive your collected donations between 2 – 8 December, from 10am – 4pm.   

This year we are in need of the following: 

  • Men's clothing and footwear - must be warm and in excellent condition 

(we do not require any women’s clothing – please take these directly to one of our charity shops instead) 

  • Brand new men's underwear 
  • Gift card / Vouchers eg Greggs, Costa, Tesco 
  • Unused, quality gifts eg men’s toiletry packs, belts, thermos flasks, backpacks 
  • Lunch box style snacks eg crisps, chocolate (always non-perishable & alcohol free)
  • Toiletries, especially men's spray deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste
  • Small tubes of handwash for laundry e.g. Dr Beckman's Travel Wash

Please see the bottom of this page for more detailed information regarding this list as donations outside of our requirements can be challenging to store if we have an excess.  We also sometimes find people like to wrap their gifts, the sentiment of which is much appreciated.  The reality however, is that we are required to unwrap items before distribution to ensure everything meets our policy standards and can be appropriately distributed according to need.   

Our warehouse will be open to receive Community Donations for the first full week of December (2 - 8) between the hours of 10am – 4pm and can be found at: 

Unit 4 

SEGRO Park 

Canning Town 

E16 4ES  

Our closest TfL connection is Star Lane, and we are most effectively found using Google Maps, not City Mapper.  We gladly receive donations by courier if this is more convenient.   

Thank you for wanting to support people experiencing homelessness this winter.  If you have any queries, please get in touch with the Christmas Resourcing Team at ccdonations@crisis.org.uk or on 07980 701 738.

All food and drink items must be alcohol-free and have a 'use by' or 'best before' date extending beyond 31 January 2025.  In addition to the delicious meals and drinks we serve throughout the day, it's great to have a small selection of dietary specific items such as gluten free / nut free / vegan snacks, including:

  • Biscuits
  • Crisps and savoury snacks (individually wrapped portions - lunch box style)
  • Chocolate and confectionery (individually wrapped portions - lunch box style)
  • Bottled water
  • Soft drinks (250-500ml cans/bottles; no glass please)

We are in urgent need of men's warm clothing and footwear that is suitable for winter and is brand new or in excellent condition.  We also need brand new packs of men's underwear and socks. 

The only clothing we need for women is brand new packs of underwear.  Our need for all other women's clothing / footwear has already been met so do not include this in your community donation; please take such items directly to a Crisis charity shop where they will be of better value to our cause. 

Activities can be incredibly therapeutic for our guests; they facilitate a sense of achievement, social interaction and promote engagement with our practical services.  This year we are in particular need of:

  • Plain white t-shirts for painting / printing onto
  • Craft packs eg felting, jewellery making, cookie decorating
  • Wool for knitting and crochet

Toiletries are essential for maintaining personal hygiene and can make a huge difference in allowing our guests to feel fresh, clean and dignified. We are in urgent need of:

  • Men's spray deodorant
  • Toothbrushes (individually packaged)
  • Toothpaste
  • Alcohol-free mouthwash
  • Travel wash (to hand wash clothes)

Bingo and quizzes are a huge hit with our guests so we're always in need of small, practical prizes such as:

  • Toiletries sets (for men and women)
  • Earphones (new)
  • Reusable coffee cups/water bottles (new)
  • £5 gift vouchers for high street chains (eg Greggs, Costa)
  • Battery packs
  • Notebooks (unused)
  • Men's belts (new)

Our scheduled art classes offer a therapeutic and enjoyable space for creativity and personal expression.  To offer these classes we always need:

  • New packets of colouring pens, pencils and oil pastels
  • New packs of shiny gold card
  • Christmas stencils 
  • New packets of sequins or glitter glue pens

A wide selection of reading books means there is something to suit all tastes.  We also have a need for:

  • Puzzle, crossword and word search books
  • Colouring books for adults

Unfortunately we can't accept any of the following as part of a community donation: 

  • Duvets and mattresses
  • Sleeping bags
  • Pillows
  • TVs and home electrical items
  • Computers, laptops or related equipment (e.g. cables)
  • Furniture
  • Children's clothes or toys
  • Home-cooked food
  • Products containing alcohol (e.g. mouthwash, chocolates, sanitiser)
  • Food with a 'best before' date prior to 31 Jan 2025
  • Glass 
  • Real fur

 

 

 

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