Tangible Needs To Help

The following items are almost always needed, please contact me to arrange pick-up:

• Socks
•  Toothbrushes and toothpaste and other toiletries (get the travel sizes, as these folks travel light)
•  Black trash bags (for waterproofing)
•  Long distance phone cards (especially the ones that can reach Mexico)
•  Toilet paper
•  Gloves and hats in the winter
•  Visa Gift Cards - $50 value - These are great if we need to get someone in a motel for the night, or a short bus trip, or a shopping trip to get clothes, or a tank of gas, etc. This way I do not have to hold cash. Sometimes there are immediate tangible needs(such as a bus pass) that take cash and cannot be purchased in advance. These can be purchased at Walgreens and at Wal-Mart.
•  Tracfones - the cheap ones are about $13 at Walmart. (Do not buy the more expensive ones… buy the net-10 phones instead.) Great for getting them a phone number for the social workers and so on. The Net-10 phones are a much better deal, as far as minutes go, but they cost more upfront ($30 or so). Net 10 and Tracfone phone cards (available at Wal-Mart)
•  Kroger or Lowe’s Foods Gift cards in low amounts ($25-$50)
•  McDonald’s Gift Certificates (The paper ones are better than gift cards, but either is good) This is great for emergency meals.