PLEASE DO NOT pass out clothing or items to people outside the ARCH, and DO NOT leave items on the sidewalk. Contributions to individuals outside our doors do not serve clients seeking solutions, and abandoned donations become litter that generates negative attention from the community. Please redirect any donations to local thrift stores who support nonprofit programming. By taking your intended donation to a store instead of leaving it on the sidewalk or handing it out to individuals on the sidewalk, you are making a great choice.

If you are handing out food to individuals outside the shelter or elsewhere in the city, please consider minimizing the packaging so as to reduce litter. Keep in mind that softer foods are often preferred, due to dental issues. PLEASE DO NOT leave food on the ground outside the shelter—that can pose a dangerous health threat to clients whose digestive systems are fragile.

We have provided Amazon links to the ideal products to donate.  Please understand that it is best for our clients, staff, and volunteers if the items we can give to clients are the same/similar. It can be hard to give three clients in a row a costly pair of socks, and then offer the fourth man in line a pair of footies for women because that’s all that is left. Storage, staffing, and standardization are the reasons we try to manage the products we offer by providing specifications that work best. If you have other items to donate, please contact us first.

We have received many offers to host hotel toiletry drives. Thank you, but we have dispensers in the showers for these products. If you would like to host a donation drive, please feel free to contact us for an updated list of current needs.

We do not have storage space or staff to process clothing donations. However, we have partners who host a client Clothing Closet. We also receive vouchers that clients can redeem at many of the nonprofit thrift stores in the community.

Individuals experiencing homelessness carry EVERYTHING they own with them 24 hours a day. It is one of the biggest problems faced by clients: keeping personal belongings safe and minimizing the appearance of being “homeless.” Appearing “homeless” with items stored in plastic bags or backpacks that are falling apart can…

• Reduce a person’s access to restrooms
• Reduce their odds when seeking work, housing, or safety
• Create tension in many settings—from riding the bus to sitting in a coffee shop.

Too often we see a client having to “give up” on a backpack. Stitches gave way or duct tape/glue unstuck, and the extra socks, wallet, clothes, work shoes or even the small jar of instant coffee that was inside falls out. When you have so little, you value everything you decide to carry. As a result, these losses can be profoundly discouraging.

We are always in need of good backpacks to give to our clients.

Needed Backpacks: dark colors, strong/sturdy construction, and new.

The perfect backpack is one you would buy for yourself or a family member. New, sturdy, empty packs would be a blessing in the lives of individuals who have so very, very little.

Great backpacks have:

• Decent straps so weight is distributed evenly
• Good construction and stitched well so they won’t come apart in rain or if it falls in a creek
• Large enough to hold what’s needed, but not so big that it cannot be stashed under the seat of a bus.

Other options some of our clients prefer include:

• “Gym” bags or duffle bags
• Small, wheeled carry-on case—these help with staying balanced (especially for older clients)

Donations of bags/backpacks can be brought to the front door of the shelter and handed off to staff. Please attach a note that these are a donation for clients. Include your name/address so we can thank you as well!

One of the easiest things to donate are bus passes. Clients need these to get to jobs, doctor’s visits, appointments at leasing offices, etc. If you would like to collect funds and purchase bus passes from CapMetro, these would be very welcome. They can be mailed to:

Front Steps, Development Office
Development Office
P.O. Box 684519
Austin, TX  78768

Gift cards are always a welcome donation. Stores like HEB and WalMart offer food, pharmacy, and basic moving-day supplies needed by clients. They can be mailed to:

Front Steps
Philanthropy Office
P.O. Box 684519
Austin, TX  78768