Living outside is never easy, but the rain and cold create additional burdens for unhoused people. The following is a list of items to keep on hand to help meet the immediate needs of unsheltered people during the winter months (and, for the most part, any time of year). These are all items that can be dropped off at an encampment, or handed to an individual in need.
If you do enter an encampment or hand out resources to your neighbors on the street, please be mindful of COVID guidelines. Wear a mask, keep your distance, and make sure any supplies you are donating are clean. More guidelines on how to help unsheltered people during the pandemic can be found here.
In your backpack/handbag:
Socks
Underwear
Long underwear and thermal shirts
Undershirts
Antibacterial for first aid
Duct tape
Batteries
Bottled water
Garbage bags
Loaded Clipper cards or gift cards to places like Target, Home Depot, Shell, Chevron, Walmart, & McDonald’s
In your garage:
Tarps
Rain gear
Sleeping bags
Bleach
Clorox wipes
Push brooms
Dog Food
Bike locks
Tents
Portable chargers
Garbage cans
Storage containers
Fire extinguishers
Foam mattress toppers
Butane cans for camping stoves
Cots or reclining lawn chairs