Partner with a Refugee Family
Our clothing partnership matches newly-arrived families to local families who have younger kids and can share ongoing hand-me-down clothes from season to season. This model offers consistent, dignified material support and helps newcomer families feel the stability and care of a wider community. Our goal is to mimic traditional giving that happens naturally in a community — friends helping friends, and neighbors sharing with neighbors.
How it Works
Sign up to be matched with a newly-arrived family and commit to sharing two seasonal hand-me-down clothing packages per year
Each season, sort your child's clothes to create a package of high-quality hand-me-downs
Mail or deliver your seasonal clothing package in person and start to build a connection with your New Neighbors family
"Every time I receive a box from Meghan, it’s not only clothing in the box, but a note handwritten for me and my daughter, and this is beautiful. It makes a difference. You feel like you are treated as a human being."​
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—Mom from Chad
"I love sending clothes that my daughter enjoyed wearing, hoping they will have the same uplifting effect for their new family. This scheme is a wonderful idea for so many reasons, but I especially love that we are paired with a specific family rather than just donating clothes without knowing where they'll go."
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—Clare, Partner to Afghan Family
Donation Guidelines
(1) Donations should be in excellent condition
Please do not donate anything with stains, rips, or missing parts. One of our core values is dignified resource sharing.
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(2) Practice culturally sensitivity
For example, please don't donate Christmas outfits to a Muslim family, or a "My Daddy Loves Me" onesie to a single mother.
(3) Donated underwear must be new (tags on)
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(4) Items must be clean - no pet hair, please!
Dog & cat pets are a foreign concept to some of our new families and they may discard clothing if it has pet hair on it.
Frequently
Asked Questions
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Can I write a letter to my new neighbor?
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Yes! Please read our guidelines here.
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Can I donate toys, books, or other items?
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Families often have space constraints, but they're frequently ​happy to accept toys, books, and baby supplies as well - as long as everything is in excellent/like-new condition. Just let us know what you're planning to donate.
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How do I know if something is in good enough condition to donate?
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Providing useful donations that maintain clients' dignity and maintaining good relationships with our partner organizations is essential. Items should be in excellent condition. If you wouldn't pass it on to a friend's child, or if you're not sure, please do not include it in your donation.
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Can I mail/deliver more than 2-3 packages per year if I have items to donate?
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Yes! Please keep us updated about what you donate and we also encourage you to consider that most families have very little space.
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How do you find the refugee families to participate?
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We partner with caseworkers at several national organizations - HIAS, IRC, Catholic Charities, and Human Rights First - to identify recently arrived families with young children who are most in need of support.
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