COVID-19 UPDATE (March 2020): As the COVID-19 situation intensifies, we have put measures in place for the safety of members and staff. To minimize contact, we have suspended our volunteer program and are not accepting drop-offs of clothing and other donations at this time. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Thank you for your generosity in bringing your new or gently used donations to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre and Emergency Shelter!
We receive a high volume of emails and calls inquiring about donations and unfortunately cannot respond to them all. To best ensure we meet women’s needs, please read the following FAQ before calling or emailing us.
When space is available, we always accept the following items. Bold items mean we’re running low and your donations are especially welcome.
Coffee mugs
Dinner plates
Toiletries – shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion (travel-sized and unopened preferred)
Bath towels
Blankets
Bed sheets – any size
Incontinence supplies (ex. Depends, Tena, Poise)
Menstrual pads
Rain gear (coats, umbrellas)
Women’s clothing, shoes and accessories (in good condition)
Hair accessories (scrunchies, headbands)
Deodorant, razors
Underwear, socks, bras (new or gently used)
Toothbrushes and toothpaste
Perfume, make-up (unopened preferred)
Q-tips, ear plugs
Band-aids and other First Aid supplies
Luggage / bags with wheels
We are also seeking items for our kitchen wishlist. Before donating kitchen items, please email Heather atkitchencoordinator@dewc.ca (for the Drop-in Centre) or Cheryl atspecialist1@dewc.ca (for the Emergency Shelter) to confirm the donation can be accepted. Photos of the items to be donated are also helpful.
Paper cups
Plates (dinner sized)
Large salad spinner
Rubbermaid containers
Cambro storage containers
Aprons (preferably with bib)
Food storage containers, bus bins
Kitchen serving spoons and tongs
We also accept the following:
Hand cream
Reading glasses
Books, magazines, DVDs
Plates, bowls, mugs
This page will be updated according to our needs. Please click here to find a list of other organizations that may accept items not on our wishlist.
We do NOT accept:
Children’s clothing, books and toys
Housewares and furniture
Supplements, medication or vitamins
Clothing/shoes/accessories that are ripped, stained or otherwise damaged
I have a large donation (a full vehicle or more), or I would like to run a donation drive.
Please get in touch before dropping off a large (full vehicle or more) donation. We appreciate your generosity and your understanding, as we have limited storage and can only accept certain amounts at a time.
How should I package/bring my donation?
Please bring your donation in bags, ready for drop-off. Currently, bags are preferred to allow us to maximize our limited storage space. We do not have containers on site to hold donations and cannot return your reusable bins. Thank you for your understanding.
Where do I park?
We are located at 302 Columbia St, on the corner of Cordova St: the grey unmarked door underneath the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre sign. You’ll be able to spot our building by its colourful mural, painted by community artists. There is street parking available on Columbia St. and Cordova St. as well as a parkade on Cordova. If you cannot find parking right next to the Centre, come in and ask staff to assist you in bringing your donation inside. We have a trolley we can use for larger donations.
Can men come inside to drop-off donations?
No, we are a women-only space. If men are dropping off donations, please ring the doorbell and inform staff you have donations to drop off. Thank you for your understanding and for cooperating with this policy.
What days are you closed?
We are closed on the following days (Income Assistance Payment Dates) and cannot accept donations:
January 23, 2019
February 20, 2019
March 20, 2019
April 24, 2019
May 22, 2019
June 26, 2019
July 24, 2019
August 21, 2019
September 25, 2019
October 23, 2019
November 20, 2019
December 18, 2019
We are also closed on February 14, 2019 (Valentine’s Day) for the Women’s Memorial March.
Thank you for supporting the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre! It is due to donors like you that we can provide essential needs to women of the Downtown Eastside.
Click the image to download our donation wishlist graphic!
Donation Wishlist & FAQ
COVID-19 UPDATE (March 2020): As the COVID-19 situation intensifies, we have put measures in place for the safety of members and staff. To minimize contact, we have suspended our volunteer program and are not accepting drop-offs of clothing and other donations at this time. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Thank you for your generosity in bringing your new or gently used donations to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre and Emergency Shelter!
We receive a high volume of emails and calls inquiring about donations and unfortunately cannot respond to them all. To best ensure we meet women’s needs, please read the following FAQ before calling or emailing us.
When can I drop off my donation?
Our donation drop off hours are as follows:
Thursday-Tuesday: 10 am-12 pm; 2-4.30 pm
Wednesday: 11 am-12 pm; 2-4.30 pm
What do you accept?
When space is available, we always accept the following items. Bold items mean we’re running low and your donations are especially welcome.
We are also seeking items for our kitchen wishlist. Before donating kitchen items, please email Heather at kitchencoordinator@dewc.ca (for the Drop-in Centre) or Cheryl at specialist1@dewc.ca (for the Emergency Shelter) to confirm the donation can be accepted. Photos of the items to be donated are also helpful.
We also accept the following:
This page will be updated according to our needs. Please click here to find a list of other organizations that may accept items not on our wishlist.
We do NOT accept:
I have a large donation (a full vehicle or more), or I would like to run a donation drive.
Please get in touch before dropping off a large (full vehicle or more) donation. We appreciate your generosity and your understanding, as we have limited storage and can only accept certain amounts at a time.
How should I package/bring my donation?
Please bring your donation in bags, ready for drop-off. Currently, bags are preferred to allow us to maximize our limited storage space. We do not have containers on site to hold donations and cannot return your reusable bins. Thank you for your understanding.
Where do I park?
We are located at 302 Columbia St, on the corner of Cordova St: the grey unmarked door underneath the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre sign. You’ll be able to spot our building by its colourful mural, painted by community artists. There is street parking available on Columbia St. and Cordova St. as well as a parkade on Cordova. If you cannot find parking right next to the Centre, come in and ask staff to assist you in bringing your donation inside. We have a trolley we can use for larger donations.
Can men come inside to drop-off donations?
No, we are a women-only space. If men are dropping off donations, please ring the doorbell and inform staff you have donations to drop off. Thank you for your understanding and for cooperating with this policy.
What days are you closed?
We are closed on the following days (Income Assistance Payment Dates) and cannot accept donations:
We are also closed on February 14, 2019 (Valentine’s Day) for the Women’s Memorial March.
Thank you for supporting the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre! It is due to donors like you that we can provide essential needs to women of the Downtown Eastside.
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