Sample Letter to Participating Organizations

SAMPLE LETTER TO PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS www.gfth.org

Dear Firm Coordinator,

As winter approaches, Gifts for the Homeless, Inc. is once again gearing up for our annual effort to collect used clothing -- and particularly warm, winter clothing -- for homeless men, women and children in the D.C. metro area. I hope that your firm will participate in this year's drive and that you will volunteer to serve as the coordinator. With your help, the 2011 campaign will be the best ever!

Our drive has three components. First, we are asking you to hold your own internal used clothing drive, on-site in your own building, and to deliver the clothes to our central collection and sorting site on Friday, December 2, 2011. Your drive can start right away, or whenever is convenient to you in the weeks leading up the December 2nd. We find that firms that begin their drives approximately two weeks before Thanksgiving have the most success! Second, we are asking you to offer your colleagues the option of making monetary donations, which we use to purchase new clothing. Third, we need volunteers to sort the used clothing and make deliveries to area shelters (including drivers of minivans and SUVs) on December 2nd and 3rd, and the morning of December 4th.

Attached to this email are three documents -- (1) our 2011 Campaign Summary, which you should feel free to customize for your own internal clothing drive, and circulate to your colleagues; (2) our Donating Information Sheet, which tells people how they can donate money to Gifts for the Homeless; and (3) a Receipt Form, which you are authorized to issue on our behalf as you, or your delegate, receive donated items from your colleagues. (Receipt forms our not available on our website. The donor should complete the receipt and value the items donated as they wish, but the receipt must be issued by you or your delegate and initialed to ensure that a donation was, in fact, received).

More information about our Used Clothing Drive, as well as how to make monetary donations for our New Clothing efforts, can be found on our website: www.gfth.org, and in the FAQ below.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I donate clothes? Donated items should be gathered and stored in your office until Friday December 2nd. Unfortunately, Gifts for the Homeless has no storage for used clothes and we must recieve, sort and deliver all of the donated clothing between Friday, December 2nd and Sunday, December 4th.

Once we collect our clothes, how do we get them to Gifts for the Homeless? We suggest a caravan of employee vehicles leaving your office to arrive at the D Street entrance of the Portals III Building, between 12th and 13th Streets, S.W., between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Some firms with large quantities make arrangements with vendors or others to donate delivery services. Be creative!

What else besides clothing does Gifts for the Homeless accept? We focus on warm, winter clothing and blankets if at all possible. There is also a need for travel size toiletries of all types. All items of clothing for men, women and children will be gratefully received. We can find a home for other items as well, including: toys, shoes, luggage, sheets and towels, and good, working household items such as dishes, small appliances, strollers, baby care items, etc. No furniture or bulky items, please.

Where can I volunteer? We ask that all our volunteers pre-register at our website: www.gfth.org. Click on Volunteer! There will be plenty to do to help us set up, receive clothing, and possibly some sorting and deliveries on Friday, December 2nd. The most volunteers, including drivers, are needed for sorting and deliveries on Saturday, December 3rd. Food and drinks are provided to all volunteers! Importantly, we also need volunteers to help with a few large deliveries, as well as breaking down our sorting site, on Sunday morning, December 4th. Once again we will be holding our drive at the Portals III Complex, using the D Street Entrance between 12th and 13th Streets, S.W.

Is there parking? We encourage volunteers on the weekend of December 2-4th to take Metro (Smithsonian or L'Enfant Plaza stations are both convenient to 12th and D Streets, SW), but parking for volunteers will be available in the building or nearby lots.

How do I donate money? Donations can be made by check to our lockbox -- simply mail the check to our bank as outlined in the Donating Information Sheet -- or donate online with a credit card at www.gfth.org. Click on Donating!

Once again, on behalf of myself and my fellow Board Members of Gifts for the Homeless, Inc., I thank you in advance for your participation. Together, you will help us "Make the Winter a Little Warmer" for so many in need in our community. If you have any questions, or if I can assist in any way, please let me know.

Best regards,

Joseph D. Edmondson, Jr. V.P. Used Clothing Gifts for the Homeless, Inc.