The Friends’ Free Store for Refugees sponsored by our Interfaith Refugee Resettlement Team needs donations of clothing, personal care items, cleaning products, toys and fabric. 

For almost three years now, volunteers from the Interfaith Refugee Resettlement Team, made up of members of People’s Church, Temple B’Nai Israel, and The Congregation of Moses and community members have been overseeing distribution of clothing donations to the hundreds of refugees that have arrived in our community since the large influx of Afghan families came to Kalamazoo in Nov/Dec of 2021 and spring of 2022. Many arrive with very little clothing and no warm clothes and boots.  

The huge undertaking of organizing the clothing donations that come into the Friends’ Free Store, graciously housed by the Congregation of Moses, has required many volunteers and many, many volunteer hours! Colleen VanSlambrouck, of People’s Church and Janet Nykaza of Temple B’Nai Israel have spearheaded this project and keep things organized and functioning well. There are several hard working and dedicated volunteers from the community. They have done an amazing job! 

As more and more refugees arrive to Kalamazoo from many unstable and unsafe countries around the world, the free store is always busy! Visits to “shop” are made by appointment as the space is somewhat small and too many “shoppers” can make it too crowded. The donated items help the refugees stretch their limited resettlement funds. 

Below is a list of items needed: 

· Men’s coats, boots, belts 

· Women’s coats, boots 

· Teen girls’ and boys’ coats, boots 

· Children’s warm clothing & outerwear 

· Gloves/hats – any size  

· Blankets & towels 

· Toys, especially dolls, trucks/cars & balls of all types

· Fabric 

· Umbrellas 

· Laundry baskets  

· Personal care items, such as shampoo, tooth paste, bar soap, lotion, feminine hygiene products (pads only), deodorant, etc. and fragrance-free laundry soap.  

Donations of clothing, blankets and towels need to be dropped off at the Congregation of Moses. Drop-off time needs to be arranged with Colleen 269-341-0573 or with Janet Nykaza 269-861-1531.  Personal care items and smaller non-clothing items can be brought to church and left on the table at the top of the stairs marked for “Friends Free Store for Refugees Donations”. 

Thank you for continuing to show support for these new members of our community.