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The Items Homeless Shelters Need Most Right Now Might Surprise You

Even small items can make a huge difference.

Two individuals are smiling and engaging in a friendly conversation while holding clear plastic bags filled with personal care items. The vibrant turquoise background enhances their positive interaction, reflecting a commitment to community service and volunteer opportunities.

On any given day there are 600,000 people experiencing homelessness in America, and about one-quarter of them are teenagers or children. That's why thousands of DoSomething members are providing daily essentials to their local homeless shelters through Supplies, Sealed, Delivered, a campaign powered by TikTok. Young people all over the country are working together to run collection drives in their communities and give back to those who need it most -- and the items they're donating might surprise you.

You might not realize it, but even the small items you pick up on your weekly drugstore run have the power to make a huge impact. Here are some of the things shelters need the most right now (and some things to avoid).

Here are some daily essentials most shelters really need:

An arrangement of dental care items including a tube of toothpaste, two red toothbrushes, and a container of wet wipes. These hygiene essentials promote community health and well-being through accessible volunteer opportunities.
An assortment of essential items including a box of corn flakes, a bar of orange soap, and a box of tissues. These items represent nonperishable food and hygiene products, highlighting opportunities for community support through donations.
A collection of personal care items including a red hairbrush, a container of deodorant with a blue lid, and a roll of toilet paper. These essential items contribute to hygiene and self-care practices for individuals in community service and civic programming.
A collection of essential health and comfort items: a box of period products, colorful striped socks, and a package of sterile band-aids. These items support community well-being and promote personal care.

These are items you should avoid donating:

An assortment of items including perishable foods like broccoli, eggs, milk, and cheese, colorful candies on sticks, and a stack of twenty-dollar bills. These items represent various community resources and needs, highlighting the importance of food security and financial support.

Provide daily essentials to a local homeless shelter!

DoSomething.org is the largest not-for-profit exclusively for young people and social change. Our digital platform is activating 6 million young people (and counting!) to create offline impact in every US area code and in 131 countries.

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