The many fantastic individuals and groups hosting holiday drives for our community’s homeless youth typically have a box or a bin where donors can place items. Erin and Mike McCann took their donation drive a step further:  for three hours one chilly Seattle Sunday, they set up a tent in their driveway, brought out a thermos of coffee and a box of donuts, and waited for their friends and neighbors to come by with gifts.

Thanks to the power of the Internet, they arrived in droves. Before the big day, Erin and Mike got the word out on Facebook and their neighborhood blog. It paid off in a big way: over $675 in gift cards were collected, along with sheet sets, towels, jeans, and hooded sweatshirts. These gifts are perfect for the homeless youth we serve, especially those moving on to their own apartments and in need of household basics like sheets and towels.

Thinking of hosting your own drive? Follow the McCann’s lead! No, that doesn’t mean that you too have to brave our community’s rainy winter weather, but do have a central, obvious location where people know they can drop off their gifts, and do use creative means (like Facebook and local blogs and papers) to spread the word. For more tips and information about hosting a drive, visit our website.

Holiday gifts collected at YouthCare