Needs From: United Way of Northeast Florida

Working to break the cycle of poverty.

At heart, all students want stability and love — but poverty makes it difficult for them to get something as simple as their basic needs met. This leaves them feeling ashamed and hopeless among their peers.

Children in the richest country in the world shouldn’t have to go without basic necessities like food, clean clothes, and hygiene products.

Students who need assistance are referred by the school district or school staff or by social service agencies. The Giving Closet Project creates a custom care kit based on the individual student's needs. Within a week, the care package is discretely delivered to the student, helping them feel seen and supported.

Of critical need, The Giving Closet Project is always in need of these hygiene items:

Also, to support students' needs, the following items are in demand:

TGCP encourages individuals to deliver donations when the center is open for staff to assist. Contact TGCP here to arrange drop-off.

United Way can document community service hours for those who need them and will give one hour for every 15 items donated. Just contact us here.

We are constantly seeking toiletry items to donate to our community. We are seeking socks from newborn to adults. Clothing items, underwear, and hygiene products from infant to adults. These items would include toothbrushes, body wash, hair care items and so forth. We are always assisting families with these personal needs.

Being a tennis based academic program, our students are required to wear athletic tennis shoes at all times.  We often have a need for kid size shoes sizes 11 kids - 6 kids. 

Please email volunteer@malwashington.com before dropping off or with any questions.

ADULT DIAPER DRIVE (NORTH RIVERSIDE)

Please be sure to acknowledge the DIY and Kit Projects Volunteer Waiver and follow the directions carefully.

WHAT TO DO:

Assembling Adult Diaper Drive items involves a few simple steps. The kit should include at least three packs of adult diapers. To truly brighten the senior's day, create a card of encouragement to put inside a box; write a positive message, or decorate it with an inspirational image. We recommend using cardstock so that it won't bend during transport. To make the kit extra special, consider decorating the box.

You can find some helpful tips for hosting a drive HERE.

For anyone collecting hours, we will verify one half-hour plus one volunteer hour for every three packs of diapers and a card. 

When finished, contact our project coordinator here to let them know how many items you have and to coordinate drop-offs. Please note: due to the limited staff capacity of our team and our partners, it may take 3-5 days to respond and coordinate delivery.

WHY THIS DRIVE:

The Adult Diaper Drive is one of our (DIY) Do it Yourself Volunteer Projects. DIY Volunteering allows families and groups of all ages and sizes to participate in flexible and meaningful community service opportunities from the comfort of their own homes or offices. DIY projects can be combined with social events, business meetings, celebrations, and more. You or your team will host a drive or purchase the supplies, complete the project, and drop off the completed project at the appropriate location. You may log your hours through the self log feature of your profile after registering for the event and completing your project. 

Many of our seniors live in our most vulnerable communities, and Jacksonville's Historic Eastside is no exception.  Meeting basic care needs is important to seniors who are still living independently, providing them a measure of control over their lives that is critical to a sense of dignity and self-esteem. Unfortunately, items like adult diapers are often overlooked when community drives are held.

 ADULT DIAPER DRIVE (EASTSIDE)

Please be sure to acknowledge the DIY and Kit Projects Volunteer Waiver and follow the directions carefully.

WHAT TO DO:

Assembling Adult Diaper Drive items involves a few simple steps. The kit should include at least three packs of adult diapers. To truly brighten the senior's day, create a card of encouragement to put inside a box; write a positive message, or decorate it with an inspirational image. We recommend using cardstock so that it won't bend during transport. To make the kit extra special, consider decorating the box.

You can find some helpful tips for hosting a drive HERE.

For anyone collecting hours, we will verify one half-hour plus one volunteer hour for every three packs of diapers and a card. 

When finished, contact our project coordinator here to let them know how many items you have and to coordinate drop-offs. Please note: due to the limited staff capacity of our team and our partners, it may take 3-5 days to respond and coordinate delivery.

WHY THIS DRIVE:

The Adult Diaper Drive is one of our (DIY) Do it Yourself Volunteer Projects. DIY Volunteering allows families and groups of all ages and sizes to participate in flexible and meaningful community service opportunities from the comfort of their own homes or offices. DIY projects can be combined with social events, business meetings, celebrations, and more. You or your team will host a drive or purchase the supplies, complete the project, and drop off the completed project at the appropriate location. You may log your hours through the self log feature of your profile after registering for the event and completing your project. 

Many of our seniors live in our most vulnerable communities, and Jacksonville's Historic Eastside is no exception.  Meeting basic care needs is important to seniors who are still living independently, providing them a measure of control over their lives that is critical to a sense of dignity and self-esteem. Unfortunately, items like adult diapers are often overlooked when community drives are held.

PERSONAL CARE KITS

Please be sure to acknowledge the DIY and Kits Project Waiver, and follow the directions carefully.

WHAT TO DO:

Please download a guide with directions for making personal care kits HERE

You or your team will host a drive or purchase the supplies, complete the project, and drop off the completed project to the appropriate location. You may log your hours through the self-log feature of your profile after registering for the event and completing your project.

For anyone collecting hours, we will verify one half-hour plus one hour for every two kits with card created. These hours are capped at 10.5 hours for one participant.

EXTRA: You may create kid-friendly kits by adding in a small toy, activity, game, etc.

Holding a Drive:
Can't make kits? Holding a drive for these same personal care items can also help alleviate the needs in Duval County Public Schools! You can download an instructional document HERE , including discussion questions and tips for holding a drive.

Please download a guide with a list of suggested items HERE. Full-size or items over 3 oz are greatly appreciated. Hotel-sized shampoos are not as useful for students, but can be donated to partner homeless shelters.

For anyone needing service hours, we will verify one hour for every 15 items donated, plus 1/2 hour for transporting the items. One item counts as each package donated: one can of soup is one item and a six-count package of apple sauce is one item.

More helpful tips for completing DIY projects can be found HERE.

Kits must contain EVERY item listed and be in a decorated bag with a decorated card to receive full service hours.

When finished, contact our project coordinator here to let them know how many kits you have and to coordinate drop-offs. Please note: due to the limited staff capacity of our team and our partners, it may take 3-5 days to respond and coordinate delivery.

WHY THIS KIT:

DIY Volunteering allows families and groups of all ages and sizes to participate in flexible and meaningful community service opportunities from the comfort of their own homes or offices. DIY projects can be combined with social events, business meetings, celebrations, and more. Purchasing items or hosting a drive and assembling personal care kits are a critical way volunteers can address a real community need individually or as a group, family, school or neighborhood. Kits will be dispersed to our Full Service School network to be distributed to students or through other non-profit partner agencies who serve the homeless or veteran population. 

School Supply Kits is one of our (DIY) Do it Yourself Volunteer Projects. DIY Volunteering allows families and groups of all ages to participate in flexible and meaningful community service opportunities from the comfort of their own homes or offices. DIY projects can be combined with social events, business meetings, celebrations, and more. You or your team will host a drive or purchase the supplies, complete the project, and drop off the completed project to the appropriate location. You may log your hours through the self log feature of your profile after registering for the event and completing your project. Once you have responded to this need, you will be contacted by our project coordinator. 

Purchasing or collecting school supplies is a great way to support the work that we do through our school partners such as Lutheran Social Services. School supplies are needed year-round, not only at the beginning of the school year. We invite to you participate n this DIY Project by collecting supplies on your own or through a drive. You can download a list of the most requested supply items here.

You will earn service hours as you do it! We will offer one half-hour plus one hour of service for every 15 items collected and delivered for one participant.  Please email volunteer@uwnefl.org with pictures of your items prior to drop off to receive service hours.

To coordinate drop off directly with Lutheran Social Services, please call (904) 448-5995. If you have further questions please contact our program coordinator HERE

BABY BASKETS

Please be sure to acknowledge the DIY and Kit Projects Volunteer Waiver and follow the directions carefully.

WHAT TO DO:

You or your team will host a drive or purchase the supplies, complete the project, and drop off the completed project to the appropriate location. You may log your hours through the self-log feature of your profile after registering for the event and completing your project.

Place all items into the hamper or trash can, along with a heartfelt note and decorations of your choice.

These baskets must include:

-1 pack of diapers (size newborn-5)

-3 packs of wipes

-1 multipack of bottles or sippy cups

-1 hamper/trash can for diapers

-1 baby soap

-1 diaper cream

-1 baby toy

-1 baby blanket

-1 diaper bag

-1 can of formula (optional)
The items must be brand new and unopened.

If you would like to hold a drive, you can find some helpful tips HERE.

More helpful tips for completing DIY projects can be found HERE

For those tracking hours, we will verify two and a half hours for every one basket made.

Kits must contain EVERY item listed and be in a decorated bag with a decorated card to receive full service hours.

When finished, contact our project coordinator here to let them know how many kits you have and to coordinate drop-offs. Please note: due to the limited staff capacity of our team and our partners, it may take 3-5 days to respond and coordinate delivery.

WHY THESE KITS:

Many of our Full Service School sites and partner organizations collaborate with local high schools that support teenage mothers and young parents. One meaningful way we support them is through the generosity of our volunteers, who create baby baskets filled with essential items for their little ones. These baskets help ease the daily challenges of parenting, allowing young mothers to focus on providing for their children while continuing their education. By ensuring their babies have what they need, we empower these young women to pursue their goals with confidence and hope for the future.

DIY Volunteering allows families and groups of all ages and sizes to participate in flexible and meaningful community service opportunities from the comfort of their own homes or offices. DIY projects can be combined with social events, business meetings, celebrations, and more. Purchasing items or hosting a drive and assembling personal care kits are a critical way volunteers can address a real community need individually or as a group, family, school or neighborhood.

Help Urban Geoponics create welcoming neighborhood spaces where books, learning, and community can thrive.

Urban Geoponics combines literacy and urban growing spaces to support families across Duval County. Volunteers will purchase, decorate, and donate a kid-friendly Little Free Library to help spark reading and connection in local neighborhoods.

Service hours available:

Travel time is already included in these totals.

Download the project instructions here for example library links, decoration ideas, drop-off steps, and hour documentation details.