Current Drive: Housewares!

Remember the excitement of setting up your first apartment?

YouthCare’s housing programs help youth experiencing homelessness get their first key to an apartment – what a joy it is! You can join and help young people starting out with their first place by providing them with the items that turn an apartment into a home. That cozy blanket? A fun lamp? The practical drawer full of batteries and spatulas? Help provide the home items needed for youth starting out.

.1. Provide needed items from the online Wishlist:

Provide needed items online through YouthCare’s WishList—gifts are shipped directly to YouthCare:

Shop & Ship Directly

2. OR organize a drive for the following needed items:

  • Gift Cards (i.e. grocery, Fred Meyer, Target, Amazon, Walgreens, CVS, Ross, TJ Maxx, VISA, Lowe’s, etc.)
  • Pillows (new)
  • Bedding
  • Towels
  • Kitchenware
  • Batteries
  • Bookbags
  • Suit cases
  • Home Decor

How to Host a Drive

Dropping Off or Mailing Donations:

We accept new and mostly new donations, Monday through Friday, between 9:00am-5:00pm at the Main Office, 2500 NE 54th Street. Learn more about our used donation criteria here.

Mailing address: Attn: Community Resources, 2500 NE 54th Street, Seattle, WA 98105

Provide a Meal

A warm, healthy meal keeps youth healthy and whole. Use your skills to provide delicious meals for young people in our care. See below for different ways you can ensure youth can count on nutritious meals:

Sign up to Provide a Meal

Donate a Gift Card

Gift cards are a popular and important gift for youth – they want autonomy and the flexibility to choose. Gift cards also help youth find those hard-to-find sizes, specific work attire, or needed items for their new apartment!

Purchased gift cards can be delivered or mailed to YouthCare’s main office (Attn: Development, 2500 NE 54th Street, Seattle, WA 98105), or purchase a gift card off the Wish List.

Popular gift cards include: Visa, Mastercard, Amazon, Fred Meyer, Safeway, Target, Bartell’s, Walgreens, CVS, Lane Bryant, Torrid, Old Navy, Tracfone, Verizon, Best Buy, Spotify, Ross, TJ Maxx, Macy’s, IKEA, Goodwill, Uber, Lyft, McDonald’s, Subway, Starbucks, and more!

Additional thoughtful gift card ideas:

Please send electronic gift cards to donations@youthcare.org or see below for more info about shipping or dropping off your gifts.

Charity Gift Cards

Charity gift cards work like any other gift card, but instead of purchasing goods, the recipient can “spend” funds on the card in support of a charity, including YouthCare! When you buy via this link, YouthCare receives a $2 donation, and your recipient will see a special message about YouthCare.

Shop Local

Want to support young people experiencing homelessness AND local business at the same time? View the list below or visit the Intentionalist to find local BIPOC owned businesses! Go here to find products from businesses that partner with YouthCare for good!

Donation Guidelines for YouthCare:

Thanks for thinking about donating items from your life to the young people in our programs. How to get those donations to us!?

  • Purchase a gift directly off of YouthCare’s Wishlist and it will ship directly to YouthCare.
  • Mail Items – Address: YouthCare, attn: Development, 2500 NE 54th St., Seattle, WA 98105. 

Due to storage space and staff capacity, we are only able to accept certain items that are new or mostly new. Please see below for further guidelines.

Please help maximize donations by:

  1. Washing & folding donations before they are delivered.
  2. Sorting & organizing – group similar items and sizes together (i.e. a box of medium coats, a bag of new wool socks). 

We cannot accept or do not need:

  • Used socks or underwear
  • Clothing, shoes, or bedding with any odor, pet hair, stains, rips, or dirt
  • Food or bathroom items that have been opened or partially used
  • Holiday décor that is out of season
  • Trinkets or religious items
  • Text books, unless specified as a need
  • Broken or unusable appliances, electronics, etc.
  • Outdated calendars and planners
  • Clothes that need dry-cleaning
  • Used mattresses
  • Any items that are 3 years old or older
  • Children sizes
  • Technology that is no longer compatible with most operating systems, can no longer charge, or devices that still have personal information

Thank you for helping us provide high quality care to young people. 

Consider donating these above listed items to our partners:

Questions? Contact volunteer@youthcare.org