Donating to CRIS
Donating to CRIS
There are multiple ways to donate to CRIS to support the work we do in helping refugees and immigrants in Central Ohio. CRIS welcomes financial donations as well as donations of goods—both are vitally important in helping those we serve to reach safety, sustainability, self-sufficiency, and successful community integration.
Financial Donations
Financial donations made to CRIS are stewarded wisely and may be used to:
Provide emergency rental assistance
Ensure food security
Maintain fair wages for CRIS staff
Support building operations and maintenance
Household Donations
WELCOME KITS
A Welcome Kit is a full collection of the essential items each refugee family needs upon arrival.
See the full list of items included in a complete Welcome Kit here.
Building a complete Welcome Kit is a great group project as there are many items to collect. Anyone interested may also purchase individual items from the complete Welcome Kit list. See below for lists of individual items as well as links to the Amazon Wish Lists CRIS created for each one.
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Check out our Kitchen and Dining Amazon Wish List to see the following items:
bowls and cups
tea or coffee cups
sets of silverware Kitchen
drinking glasses
mixing bowl sets
sauce and frying pans
baking dishes
cutting boards
can opener
kitchen knives
cooking utensil sets
dish towels
paper towels
bottles of dish soap
packs of sponges
waste baskets & trash bags
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Check out our Bathroom Amazon Wish List to see the highest priority needs of the following items:
a large pack of toilet paper
toothbrushes
tubes of toothpaste
deodorant
sets of combs
bottles of shampoo
bottles of conditioner
bars of soap
razors
washcloths
laundry baskets
laundry detergent
non-bleach cleaning products
plungers & toilet brushes
shower liners & rings
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Check out our Bedroom Amazon Wish List to see some of the following items:
sheet sets (full & twin)
blankets (comforters preferred)
pillowcases & pillows
clothes hangers
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Check out our Cleaning Amazon Wish List to see some of the following items:
brooms & dustpans
mops & buckets
all-purpose spray cleaners
scissors
first aid kits
plastic drawer units
light bulbs
lamps
floor rugs
rice cookers/pressure cookers
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pens/pencils
notebooks
school supplies
backpacks
car seats
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vacuum cleaners
small tool kits
electric tea kettles
extra large pots
baby items & toys
Each refugee family that CRIS resettles is brought home to a furnished living space stocked with the basic items necessary for daily living. As we resettle hundreds of refugees to Central Ohio each year, there is a continual need for household goods and furniture. We welcome and greatly appreciate in-kind donations from individuals or groups who wish to donate new or gently used items to help make each refugee’s living space a home. Read the following information to learn what items are most-needed and how you can partner with us in providing these essentials to our newest neighbors.
What to Donate
HOME FURNISHINGS
Large furnishing goods such as beds, bedding, and washer and dryer sets make a living space feel like a home for newly arrived Americans.
Though donations of new home furnishings are preferred, gently used items may be donated on a case-by-case basis. [Contact CRIS Arrival Specialist Anitha Kavuna—contact information below]
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Needed furniture items include:
Dining room tables and chairs
Couches
Living room chairs
Coffee tables
End Tables
Bookshelves
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Accessing laundry facilities is a common challenge for refugee families. A washer and dryer set can be a life-changing gift.
What NOT to Donate
We are incredibly grateful to all in our community who donate household items and furnishings to those we serve, yet there are some items that we are not able to accept. Those items include (but are not necessarily limited to):
Used mattresses and bedframes
Clothing of any kind
Any item with visible wear or tear (stains, rust, holes, missing or broken pieces, etc.)
How to Donate Items
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Drop Off at the CRIS Office
Every Tuesday from 1:30-3:30 PM, CRIS staff members are available at our office (4645 Executive Drive Columbus, OH 43220) to receive in-person donations. If this day and time do not work for your schedule, contact Anitha Kavuna to make other arrangements!
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Order Online + Ship to CRIS
You can order items from your favorite online shopping platform and have them shipped directly to the CRIS office (4645 Executive Drive, Columbus OH 43220). Email Anitha Kavuna a tracking number for donations purchased and shipped online to ensure safe arrival.
If you purchase items from our Amazon Wish Lists, you can simply select “Community Refugee Immigration Services” under “Other Addresses” and the order comes to the CRIS office automatically.
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Give Gift Cards
Don’t have time to do the shopping—we can take care of that! Gift cards allow CRIS staff the flexibility to purchase items as specific needs arise. The most helpful retailers for digital gift card purchases are Wal-Mart, Kroger, and Amazon. List Anitha Kavuna (akavuna@cris-ohio.org) as the recipient and a digital gift card can be send directly to CRIS.
Give A Warm Winter Welcome
If you would like to collect Welcome Kit items among your faith community, workplace, civic group, or with friends and family--we've created "Welcome Fall" materials to make it a simple and fun project! Simply download and print these materials to put on display in a foyer, office, or other common space.
Have questions?
Contact us today.
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Anitha Kavuna
ARRIVAL SPECIALIST
Anitha ensures that each resettled refugee is welcomed into a furnished and stocked living space by managing and distributing household donations and purchasing needed items.