As the holiday focused on giving thanks approaches, two Kenai Peninsula shelters are welcoming donations in while counting blessings.
Barbara Waters, Education and Training Coordinator with the LeeShore women’s and children’s Center in Kenai says they have gotten many Thanksgiving food donations but their office is open until 5 pm tonight.
Waters: “People are more than welcome to stop by if they have food donations for our clients. We have a 32 bed shelter as well as a 25 bed transitional facility so we are always looking for donations.”
Clothing and other secondhand donations are only accepted in the LeeShore office on Thursdays and Fridays but Waters says they are already gearing up for Christmas and gift items for women and children can be dropped off any week day.
The LeeShore Center also accepts pet products, as the facility recently expanded with kennels for shelter occupants’ dogs and cats.
Mary Anne Cowgill, secretary and caretaker for Kenai’s Friendship Mission which assists homeless Kenai Peninsula men, says a local church is providing tomorrow’s Thanksgiving meal but non-perishable food donations are always welcome.
Cowgill: “I want to thank all of the people who do help out, there are a lot of people who drop off clothes or drop off something and don’t want a tax paper or anything, they just want to give. Everybody in the community is really good to us.”
Other items the Friendship Mission typically needs are:
- paper towels
- toilet paper
- disposable razors
- cleaning supplies
- coffee, creamer, and sugar
- winter hats and gloves
- personal hygiene items such as soap or shampoo
Cowgill says the men love when baked sweet treats are brought to the facility.