occasional appeals
Urgently Needed
The following items are in very short supply and are desperately needed:
Diapers (sizes 3-6)
Wipes
Pull-ups (all sizes)
Underwear
(all children's sizes up to 6x)
Metro fare cards
Grocery store gift cards
Please respect the dignity of our program and families by only donating new and/or unopened items.
Due to space limitations, we cannot accept used items such as toys, furniture, clothing and household items. Please call 202.842.9090 to schedule a time to drop off your donations or to determine the immediate need. Thank you in advance for supporting our program.
Books
Donate books to each of our classrooms. Choose from any of the titles on our
book list.
Bright Beginnings gets moving!
Bright Beginnings' children incorporate more physical activity into their day with commonly found items and creative activities. Choose one or two items or donate items for a whole month! Our kids will really appreciate it!
Metro fare and gift cards
- Paper fare cards in any denomination are helpful for our families, since they can be loaded onto their Smartrip cards. We suggest that fare card donations be made in smaller increments of $5-$10 per card so we can help multiple families.
-
Gift cards in increments of $10-$25 to help families to buy cough medicine, baby formula, feminine supplies, etc. Target, Safeway, Giant, CVS and Rite Aid are preferred but all are welcome.
- Gift card incentives in $10-$25 increments also reward parents for participation in Center activities, such as health forums, parenting classes and for their children’s perfect attendance.
Computer Supplies
Clothing and personal items
- Unopened packs of diapers, especially sizes 4-6
- Baby wipes
- Boys’ and girls’ Pull-ups
- Children’s underwear and socks (must be new, all children’s sizes).
- Toiletries (all sizes) for a whole family such as shampoo, body wash, women’s personal items, soap, conditioner and deodorant.
- Shoes (all children’s sizes, especially sneakers or other close-toed shoes that are good for movement).
- Dental supplies such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, etc.
- Our Annual Baby Shower in October is often the only baby shower our pregnant mothers have and their only opportunity to obtain the supplies they will need for their baby, such as diapers, infant clothing, burping cloths, bottles, car seats, pacifiers and other essential items.
School supplies
- Paper (all sizes, shapes and textures such as construction paper, newsprint, wrapping paper and tissue paper), assorted note cards and stationery, memo pads and notebooks, calendars, greeting cards (holiday, occasions, invitations), Post-It notes, etc.
- Writing materials including: oversized pens, pencils, markers or colored pencils, dry-erase boards and markers
- Reading materials, especially children’s books and magazines (i.e. National Geographic, fashion, fitness, cultural, & food)
- Classroom supplies including: crayons, glue sticks, small bottles of glue, safety scissors, yarn, colored tape, tempera paint (assorted colors)
- Environmental awareness supplies, such as art supplies, planting supplies, books for children about the environment, etc.
- Back to school supplies for children transitioning to kindergarten, including two sets of uniforms, school shoes, back packs and their necessary supplies are needed each August.
- Office supplies: hole punchers, labels, folders, paper clips, small staplers, Scotch tape, masking tape