Nonprofit Seeks Blankets, Food to Prepare for Winter

An area nonprofit is bundling winter-weather goods for the coming cold, and hopes that you’ll find the time to donate as well.

Larry Griffin, director of the Annapolis-based nonprofit We Care and Friends, said the city of Annapolis has helped establish a winter relief shelter at the Stanton Community Center downtown. It’s there that Griffin and his associates are gathering goods for those in need during the harsh weather.

“I stayed here nine weeks with the homeless during the last big snow,” Griffin said. “They’ve set up a big command post at the fire station now. And they’re talking about how in February we might have another bad one.”

In addition to housing for the homeless, the Stanton Community Center has become the base of operations for donated goods through We Care and Friends.

Griffin said there is a growing need for canned goods, warm clothing, blankets and bedding.

“Right now we're looking for any kind of food we can get. We have refrigerators here. We’re also also looking for gloves, socks, boots, sweaters, jackets, coats, any type of hat, scarves.”

Other items needed include:

• Cots
• Cases of water
• Towels
• Yoga mats
• Healthy packaged snacks (granola bars, dried fruit, nuts, etc.)
• Hotel (sample-sized) shampoo, soap, etc.
• Feminine hygiene products

Cape St. Claire resident Kelly Hennessy-Heinz first notified Patch of the need through the Broadneck Patch Facebook page. 

"Out checking on my homeless clients and keep hearing a need for blankets, coats, gloves, hats, and new underwear (cause no one really wants old ones:) I know you are bundling, help them bundle too," she wrote.

Donations can be dropped off at the We Care and Friends office in the at 92 W. Washington St. in Annapolis. For more information, call 410-263-2874.