Please Help Us

With Your Goods Donation

Your donation is tax deductible. THANK YOU

Young child coloring with markersHelp refugee children prepare for school! 

  • Notebooks, 2 pocket folders
  • Pens, mechanical pencils, regular pencils
  • Permanent markers, dry-erase markers
  • White-out tape, Post-it notes

We could also use help with school uniforms: many refugee students are in need of white tops and blue bottoms (pants or skirts). We would greatly appreciate donations of new or clean/very gently used clothing for refugees starting a new school year. Girls and boys clothes of all sizes are needed. Again, all donations are tax-deductible, and these can be brought straight to the IRIS office-- please just indicate that they're school uniforms when you're dropping them off. Thank you!! If you have any questions, please contact Tanya Adametz, Education Coordinator, at education@irisct.org or (203) 562-2095 x212.

Photograph by Daniel Carvalho

 

Furniture for New Americans

can openerWhen IRIS welcomes refugees to begin a new life in New Haven, we need to turn an empty apartment into a home. IRIS always needs basic furniture and household goods in good, clean condition:
  • Beds
  • Dressers
  • Kitchen tables and chairs
  • Kitchen supplies: pots, pans, silverware, dishes, etc.
  • End/coffee tables
  • Lamps

IRIS is now partnered with Helping Hands to manage donations.

IRIS is excited to announce a new partnership with Helping Hands Community Thrift Store & Furniture Bank, LLC to meet the furniture and clothing needs of our refugee clients.

If you have furniture, household goods, or clothing to donate, please bring them to Helping Hands at 1593 State St., or contact them at (203) 782-4800 to arrange for pick up of large furniture items. Please tell them that IRIS referred you, so that items needed to set up apartments for new refugees will be set aside for IRIS; other items will be sold in their thrift store and a portion of the sales will be given to IRIS.

If you have questions, please call us at IRIS for more details: 203 562 2095

Like to bargain shop?  Have a group of friends looking for a community service project?

  IRIS would greatly appreciate donations of the following items (new only, please), which we need to provide to every refugee when they arrive to CT.  Any amount and combination of items would be welcome.

Hygiene Items:  Deodorant, soap, shampoo & conditioner, toilet paper, tissues
Cleanings Items:  Broom, mop, garbage cans, roll/box of garbage bags, bleach, dish soap, laundry detergent, sponges, cleaning detergent (Pine sol, etc.)
Linens:  Bath towel, washcloth, pillow
Miscellaneous:  Alarm clock, lightbulbs, notebooks and pens

Please contact Chris George if you would like to organize a specific donation drive.

We also collect:

  • Umbrellas
  • Alarm clocks
  • Winter blankets/quilts, any size — in good, clean condition
  • Thermal underwear (new, any size — especially adult)
  • Can openers (preferably manual)
  • Medical kits, with first aid supplies and over-the counter medicine
  • 9Volt batteries (for smoke alarms)
  • AA batteries (for alarm clocks)
  • Cloth shopping bags
  • Gift cards to CVS, Walgreen’s, or WalMar

 

 

Donate a carDonate a Car!

If you have a good, safe, mechanically sound car that you no longer need, please consider donating it to IRIS. We need it for:

  • Meeting refugees at the airport when they first arrive.
  • Driving refugee families to doctors’ appointments.
  • Driving families to the Social Security office.
  • Enrolling refugee children in school.
  • Teaching refugees how to drive.
  • Picking up donations.

Please contact IRIS at: 203-562-2095 or info@irisct.org

 

Remember, your goods donations are tax deductible. THANK YOU!

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