How you can help – Donate your TIME, MONEY, and/or GOODS
Individuals and organizations can support HCSC and its mission to help homeless community members and families achieve independence and self-sufficiency. Whether you donate your time, or make a financial donation online or by mail, or drop off food or goods, we appreciate your support!
Cash donations and gift cards
When you donate to The Shelter, your gift truly makes a difference. Here’s a little food for thought:
A $20 gas card will help fuel a family’s car for the week
$40 will pay for 4 prescription co-pays
$50 will buy a meal for the entire Shelter – you will be feeding 20-25+ individuals
$100 pays for the transportation shuttle to and from the shelter for a whole week for residents without vehicles
To make a secure online donation with a credit or debit card, please click the “DONATE” button below. To send your donation by mail, please address to:
The Homeless Center for Strafford County202 Washington St
Rochester, NH 03867
Contribute to The Shelter in memory of someone special: you and your designated honoree will receive an acknowledgment card. The amount of the donation will not be included on the honoree’s acknowledgment card unless requested. Please include the honoree’s contact information with your donation.
Donation of goods
The shelter relocated in Fall of 2021 to 202 Washington Street, Rochester, New Hampshire.
We cannot accept adult clothing or furniture, as we do not have the storage space.
See our wish list below for the most urgent needs.
And please follow us on Facebook as we make furniture and goods requests public as we move family units into housing!
Shelter wish list
Food items:
-Fresh food: meats, veggies, fruits, etc.(or gift cards to Market Basket or Hannafords for fresh items)
-1 or 2% milk ultra pasturized.or shelf ready versions of milk
-Flour, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Nuts for Baking Classes
-Seasonings for cooking (the dollar store has bargains)
-Coffee………….We consume a lot of coffee here!
-Crisco, condiments such as ketchup, mustard, mayo and salad dressings
-Healthy afterschool snacks for our school aged kids (real juice-juice boxes, peanut butter crackers, low sugar animal crackers, nutrigrain bars, non sugared apple sauce, sweet hummus and graham crackers)
Kitchen Move Out Kits (4 needed) :
-Silverware, sets of 16 or 20
-Pots and Pans
-Baking Sheets
-Sets of glasses (4 or 8)
-Dish sets or four plates and four bowls
-Cooking Utensils
OR Gift Cards to Walgreens, Wal-Mart or Amazon
Office and Household Products:
–Paper Towels (we go through about 5 rolls a day)
-13 Gallon trash bags
-Copier paper
OR GIFT CARDS TO STAPLES or Best Buy!
-Stamps (forever stamps)-shower curtains and liners
-Dryer Sheets
-Toilet Brushes for Cleaning
Showering Needs:
We are in need of Cotton Adult Sized Bath Sheets in WHITE 40×80 inches or 35×70 inches (so we can bleach them)
Christmas Giving:
We typically help 20-35 families with Christmas Gifts and make lists with the theme; Something you want, Something you need, Something to wear, Something to read!
The best gifts beside winter wear and shoes tend to be EXPERIENCES that come in the form of enrichment activities.
Some great gift ideas: Movie Tickets, Seacoast Science Center tickets, Children’s Museum Tickets, Boston Aquarium Admission or the Boston museum of Science, Admission to area Skating, Indoor play areas etc.
We love to ensure our “littles” have experiences outside the shelter that help their bodies, minds and hearts grow!
If you have questions about donation of funds, items or volunteer hours, please do not hesitate to call our Executive Director, at 603-332-3065.
The Shelter is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization. Federal Tax ID number: 02-0519859. All donations are tax deductible.