AfghanistanHumanitarian AidRefugees
Below is a report from one of our super volunteers, Pamela, on her delivery of donations to recently arrived Afghan families. She includes a list of items needed – please note that children’s shoes are really needed!
It was a successful 2022 day all around at the Clothing Center serving Refugees and delivering needed clothing and hygiene essentials to many Afghan Refugees at temporary housing in Federal Way. Thanks to everyone who made this possible today and for the UMC donations that will help us buy many more needed items!
We took a huge number of coats, toddler clothing, handmade blankets, essential hygiene bags, winter hats and scarves, two sewing machines with a bag of Fiskars scissors and sewing notions, and toys that will go to the many newly arrived families.
Joe Meyer and Sean (Rita’s friend who helped drive the toys) offered to be regular drivers for future Friday afternoon deliveries. Beautiful children playing in the lobby came running out to help carry and made our work very worthwhile with their enthusiasm and smiles! The sewing machines, supplies and fabric was very appreciated. Tonight the small temporary housing facility staff will set up the items we sent and prepare for an orderly, fair distribution tomorrow. I think it’s likely that there will be a little something for everyone. How awesome that we finally have a way to help many new arriving Afghans.
I’ll discuss what particular additional needs there are with the Manager for next week, but I expect more coats are needed and children’s shoes. She said tennis shoes for kids in all sizes would be great. We saw a number of kids with no shoes. The Assistant Manager told me they have none. A couple of kids were wearing their dad’s sandals.
Here are needed items for Hygiene Bags if anyone asks:
• packages of new underwear for women, men, girls and boys in all sizes;
• children’s new tennis shoes;
• maxi pads;
• hair brushes;
• deodorant;
• shampoo/conditioner;
• razors;
• liquid dish detergent;
• baby wipes;
• small first aid kits;
• nail clippers;
• Band-Aids;
• floss;
• chap stick;
• cosmetics;
• body lotion.
• We can use more basic school supplies like spiral notebooks, pencils and pens, crayons, glue sticks.
• Other option: gift cards.
My day was topped only by a great email from Jeanne letting me know that she and Joe will donate 2 kids bicycles! And I hear a few others are planning to do a little refurbishing of bikes to donate too.
I’m just pretty overwhelmed at the go power and care of Fairwood Community UMC. I was so glad my daughter, Ingrid, could come to see what your Church has made possible. It’s certainly uplifting to my family, but more importantly to many Afghan Refugees!
I’ll keep you posted and plan to be down next Friday.
Stay COVID Super Safe!! Pamela
Thank you so much Pamela for all your efforts!
Please contact SCM if you have items to donate. We also have an Amazon Wish List for some of these items that will be shipped to our office. Click here to see the list and order: https://a.co/hkDPCA3
A child and her mother at the clothing bank in Renton 
Dolls of Hope for refugee children are a big hit and provide comfort in these unsettling times.