Gifts For The Homeless

Our Mission

Gifts for the Homeless, Inc. ("GFTH") is a nonprofit organization founded and staffed by volunteers from the Washington, D.C. area legal community. The principal objective of GFTH is to raise money for the purchase of new clothing and collect donations of certain types of used clothing and other needed items from attorneys and staff of Washington, D.C. area law firms, government agencies, in-house corporate legal departments and other legal organizations. In pursuing this objective, the GFTH Board of Directors has established the following priorities: to reach the homeless who live on the street in all four quadrants of the District of Columbia; to reach the homeless who live in shelters and in transitional housing; to reach the homeless in neighboring communities outside the District of Columbia when, and if, GFTH believes it has fully served the needs of the District; and to build a reputation for reliability by working with a core group of homeless service providers. GFTH does not typically distribute clothing directly to individuals living on the street, but works through a network of over 70 homeless service providers that include shelters, temporary residences and soup kitchens and wagons. GFTH pursues its objectives through a two-track approach. GFTH solicits direct monetary donations from the Washington, D.C. area legal community to purchase new clothes. Typically, items purchased include: (1) warm winter accessories, such as hats and gloves; (2) undergarments, such as thermals, socks and underwear; and (3) heavy bedding items, such as polar fleeces. GFTH also accepts donations of certain types of used clothing and other needed items during a large clothing drive each fall. The used clothing effort seeks to obtain those items most frequently requested by homeless service providers: (1) warm winter clothing, such as winter coats, sweaters and turtlenecks; (2) business attire, such as suits, shirts, blouses, ties and shoes; and (3) household linens, such as sheets, pillowcases and towels.