On The Rise is currently accepting spring clothing donations. We are also accepting other in-kind needs such as toiletries on a case by case basis. Before donating, please reach out to confirm with our team by filling out this donation form. If we are able to accept your donation, we will reach out to you to make an appointment during one of our drop off times. Our available appointments are generally between 3:30pm-5:30pm on Mondays, and from 8:30am-1:30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Please deliver donations to our back door from the parking lot off of Inman Street, and call us when you arrive at your scheduled time.

Each year, the generosity of individuals and groups who give in-kind donations keeps us stocked with in-season clothing, travel-size toiletries and other essential items that are so important to help participants as they transition from surviving on the streets to living in the community. For your generosity, thank you!

We rely on the efforts of volunteer groups to run drives to help stock us with these small but meaningful items that we can hand out to our participants.  Round up friends, co-workers or members of groups with which you’re affiliated and ask them to pitch in! 

To affirm the dignity and value of those we serve, we can only accept items that are clean and in excellent condition.

Immediate Safe Haven Needs:

In-Kind needs we are currently accepting (bolded items are our highest needs):

  • Casual spring clothing (including plus size and masc/gender-neutral clothes)

  • Moving Home Drive volunteers! More info can be found here.

  • Travel-sized toiletries (especially toothpaste!)

  • Full-sized toiletries (current needs include body wash and lotion)

  • Full and travel sized deodorant

  • Umbrellas/rain gear

  • Textured hair care products

  • Razors

  • Vaseline

  • Sleeping bags

  • Travel bags/backpacks

  • Chapstick

  • Cleansing wipes

  • New bras, underwear and socks

  • Tissues

  • Eyeglasses/Readers

  • Air Mattresses

  • Single Person Tents

  • Carts (for carrying belongings)

  • Hair Dye and Makeup

  • Reusable Water Bottles

Donation Drop-off

Once you have filled out the donation drop-off form and we have verified we can accept your items, our team will reach out with a calendar link to schedule a drop-off time. If you need to make scheduling changes or are running late, you can reach out to our Resource Coordinator Grace Stanford at (617)-497-7887 or grace.stanford@ontherise.org.

Please deliver donations to our back door from the parking lot off of Inman Street, and call us when you arrive at your scheduled time, and kindly do not leave donations at the door. Thank you!

Clothing

Current seasonal items and casual clothing are always needed by participants at On The Rise.

  • Plus-size spring clothing

  • T shirts (short and long sleeved)

  • Sweatshirts

  • Sneakers/casual footwear

  • Jeans

  • Sweatpants

  • Brand new Socks

  • Brand new Bras & Underwear

  • Rain gear

If you have donations of clothing that do not match our needs (business attire, winter coats, boots, etc.) please consider making a delivery to the clothing bins provided by Second Chances, a local organization that supports homeless and lower income individuals. Find all of their bin locations here.

On The Rise regretfully declines donations of furniture. Please contact your local furniture bank to see if they can accept your items. We also recommend Boomerangs. Check to see if your items could be of use to those they serve!

Toiletries

For hygiene and convenience, toiletries must be new and unopened. Travel sizes are given to unhoused members of our Safe Haven program, but we also accept regular size as they are given to participants in our Keep The Keys Program.

  • Hair products for all hair types (we are always in need of conditioner and shampoo for Black/textured hair) - including hair dye!

  • Travel sized toiletries

  • Full-sized shampoos

  • Full-sized Conditioner

  • Soap (gel and liquid)

  • Lotion (face, hands, body)

  • Lip balm/chapstick

  • Hair spray & hair gel (specifically products for Black participants with textured hair)

  • Toothpaste (travel sized) & toothbrushes

  • Floss

  • Pocket-size tissues

  • Full size toothpaste

Tickets to Local Activities

On The Rise is in search of tickets or passes to special events in and around Boston to take participants on cultural and fun-filled day-trips. If you have extras to share, please let us know.

Questions?

Please contact our team at development@ontherise.org or 617-497-5757!

Supporting Our Participants

On The Rise values our special partnership with J. Jill and their community. Since 2013, we have been appreciative grantees of the J.Jill Compassion Fund which is committed to providing support to community-based organizations that help disadvantaged and homeless women become self-sufficient. Our community has been a proud recipient of J.Jill's Gently Worn Program for the last three years where customers are invited to donate gently worm clothing to their local J.Jill store and receive a 25% discount on their purchases. These donated clothes then go to local partners like On The Rise who need these items the most.

During the Gently Worn Program, we received more than 50 boxes of amazing clothing for our participants including sweatshirts, pants, and warm jackets. J.Jill's incredibly generous in-kind support ensures that On The Rise's clothing room continues to have high-quality, beautiful and stylish clothing pieces in a variety of sizes for the folks who use our programs. We are incredibly grateful to have the partnership of J. Jill in providing clothing and more.

All items in our clothing room come from community donations and we are so lucky to have the support of organizations like J. Jill that organize drives like this. Learn more about the J. Jill Compassion Fund here.

On The Rise is grateful for its partnership with Dignity Matters who we work with to host a Bra Day each year in our Safe Haven.

Since 2017, Dignity Matters has supplied On The Rise with 281 bras and 470 pairs of underwear!

Since 2016, Hope and Comfort has been providing necessary toiletries (soap, lotion, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste) to On The Rise.

For 9 years Circle of Hope has been delivering clothing and toiletries for participants at On The Rise.

In 2018 alone, Circle of Hope has generously provided us with 45 pounds of toiletries and over 200 pounds of clothing! We are incredible thankful.