Gift Shop

Volunteer!

How to Give
 Dollars
Fundraising Gala

 Insurance

Bequests

Affiliate Programs

Stocks

Donate Goods!
DWC Wishlist
Printable PDF Wishlist

Food Bank

Ideas for Groups

 

You can reach Vanessa, our Volunteer Coordinator, via e-mail at vanessaw@dwcweb.org or make an inquiry over the web by clicking here.  
Get started by filling out our Volunteer Application, click here>

Holiday Help!

There are many ways you can help this holiday season.  Visit our Holiday Help webpage for more details!

Make and Serve Meals!

• Moonlight Cooking Club. Perfect for busy working folk. No regular commitment required...drop in and out as you are able.  We provide the recipe and guidance in cooking for a crowd, and by bringing some of the needed ingredients, you’ll help defray the Center’s food costs and provide the Ladies here with a fresh and healthy meal. Send Vanessa your email address and she will email you twice monthly bulletins about the Moonlight Cooking Club.  Click Here for more info! Time: Meets approximately every other Tuesday from 6:30-8:30pm.

• Serve a Meal. Come and help us serve a meal!

• Bring us a Meal or Snack. Prepare a meal or snack in your home or community and bring it down to the Center to help provide our Ladies with delicious and nutritious food!

• Friends Cooking Club. Create your own tradition!  You gather a group of 5-10 of your family, friends or colleagues to make a special meal together.  DWC will create a menu plan for you, or assist you in planning your own menu and will help you through the whole process!  Your group can also donate a meal by making it off-site and bring it to serve. 

 To get involved in these, or other volunteer opportunities at DWC,

contact Vanessa at vanessaw@dwcweb.org, or (213) 680-0600!

Build Community!

• Birthday Guild. The Birthday Guild is an opportunity for volunteers to give DWC Residents a unique and special birthday celebration!  Perfect for volunteers who like to pick out gifts, make connections, decorate & plan parties, make cakes, and show people they’re important.  Get your loved ones involved by inviting them to join in or donate to the celebration here at DWC on your birth month!

• Holiday Help. Coordinate a party, sponsor a celebration, or sign up to help decorate, cook, dance, or sing! Have a favorite holiday? Contact Vanessato find out our plans!

 To get involved in these, or other volunteer opportunities at DWC,

contact Vanessa at vanessaw@dwcweb.org, or (213) 680-0600!

Advocate for Homeless Women!

• Public Outreach Team.  This team of volunteers works closely with the Development and Volunteer Program Staff to give tours, staff tabling events, and represent DWC at community functions. This is a great opportunity for people who enjoy public speaking to bring resources to DWC, while educating yourself and others on homelessness and women’s issues. 

• Take a Tour. A great way to familiarize yourself with DWC, talk to the staff one on one, and get your questions answered! Drop in to the Day Center during Open Hours (Monday - Friday 6 am - 4 pm and weekends from 8 am to 2 pm) and ask for a tour, or call first to arrange a tour for a group.

• Coordinate a Drive. Canned goods, used women’s clothing, new gifts for women’s birthdays, travel-size toiletries, full size sheets, and many other items are always needed.  Coordinate a drive at your school, office, place of worship, or neighborhood.  Wish lists and publicity materials are available upon request, or view our updated DWC Wish List below!

 To get involved in these, or other volunteer opportunities at DWC,

contact Vanessa at vanessaw@dwcweb.org, or (213) 680-0600!

Fundraise for DWC!

• Mailing Parties. DWC prepares all fundraising mailers in the Residence, with the hands of Day Center participants, residents, staff, and volunteers. This grassroots effort saves over $8000 each year! Contribute stamps or snacks to offset mailing costs and provide manpower to stuff, seal, label, and stamp up to 5000 envelopes in an evening alongside participants. Parties are held approximately six times per year. Visit our Calendar for upcoming dates.

• Committees. Volunteers interested in a long-term opportunity that requires professional expertise are encouraged to apply for one of the Development Department’s Board Committees: the Gala Committee (January – October annually), the Capital Campaign Committee (2007 – 2008); or the Business Venture Committee (2007).

• 37 Ways to Raise $1000. DWC provides a terrific list of 37 Ways to Raise $1000 (with tons of fun ideas) and guidance. Many options will suit your taste no matter what your age and resources. Here’s an example: Pledge $17/month for 6 months and get 9 friends to do the same. You can make this request over the phone, in person, or via a hand-written card. Here’s another one: A girls’ night option! Host a Salon Party on a Sunday afternoon for a group of friends. Give each other pedicures, facials, massages, and hairstyling. Then ask each friend to contribute $25 for the Day at the Spa. There are 35 more fantastic ways for a motivated volunteer with excellent leadership and enthusiasm to raise money.

 To get involved in Volunteer Fundraising at DWC,

contact Molly Moen, Senior Director of Development & Finance,

at mollym@dwcweb.org or (213) 680-0600.

Do Direct Service!

• Learning Center Assistant. Extend Learning Center hours by working during a time it is not normally open!  Volunteer Training is required. 

• Teach a Class or Workshop. Teach knitting, sewing, bridge, chess, art, drama, music or any other class that you believe would be of interest to women. Volunteer training required.

• Health Kit Assembly. Gather supplies and assemble health kits from your home to be given out to participants in our health workshops and services!  Suggested travel-sized supplies include hand-sanitizers, vitamins, band-aids, bacitracin ointment, and cotton swabs.

 To get involved in these, or other volunteer opportunities at DWC,

contact Vanessa at vanessaw@dwcweb.org, or (213) 680-0600!

Use your imagination when it comes to volunteering.  If there is a project
you are interested in that is not listed, just give us a call at (213) 680-0600.

  HOW TO GIVE DOLLARS

Your gift is very important!  DWC is a nonprofit organization, and your contribution in support of our programs and services for homeless women is a vital investment in our community. Here are a number of ways you can assist.

Gifts of Cash

DWC accepts tax-deductible Visa/Mastercard credit card donations over the phone at (213) 680-0600 or on our homepage (www.dwcweb.org) through the secure method of PayPal. 

Checks may be mailed to:
Downtown Women's Center
325 S. Los Angeles Street

Los Angeles, CA 90013
 

Cash contributions are fully tax-deductible, according to IRS guidelines, to the extent of the law.

Find out if your company has a Matching Gifts Program.  If it does, please enclose the matching gift form along with your check. 

11th Annual Fundraising Gala

Don't miss our annual Gala dinner event held every fall! Building Supportive Housing, the 10th Annual Fundraising Gala, will be held the evening of Monday, September 22, 2008 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Music Center. To sponsor a table or purchase tickets, please contact Senior Director of Development & Finance Molly Moen at mollym@dwcweb.org or (213) 680-0600 x 107. Bidding on goods and services at the event's live and silent auction is another way to support homeless women. Please visit our Gala webpage, updated often!

Gifts of Insurance

You can give all or part of an existing life insurance policy simply by asking your agent for a Change of Beneficiary form and using it to designate Downtown Women’s Center as beneficiary.

Bequests

When planning your estate, please remember the place the Downtown Women’s Center has held in your heart. You can help ensure our sustainability long into the future by including a charitable bequest in your will or revocable trust. A bequest is not payable until death, so it does not affect your assets or cash flow during your lifetime; it remains private until your death; and you can change the provisions in your will or trust at any time until death. Charitable bequest or trust distribution is also deductible for federal estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the deduction your estate can claim.

New! Shop at our Affiliate Programs

When you click on one of the links below to place an order, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to DWC. Please shop here and spread the word to your friends. You can shop for yourself or your business, or you can make a donation to DWC by ordering items on our Wish List and having them delivered directly to us. If you have any questions about how this program works, please contact Director of Development & Finance Molly Moen at (213) 680-0600. Thank you!

Gifts of Stock

Giving stock offers three advantages:  first, you avoid paying capital gains tax on the increase in value of your stock; second, you receive an income tax deduction for the full fair market value of the stock at the time of the gift (you must have held the stock for at least one year in order to qualify for these tax benefits); and third -- your gift directly benefits women in need of your help.  Please call (213) 680-0600 if you have questions.

Privacy Policy and Governance

The Downtown Women's Center does not sell or otherwise disclose our supporters' information outside the organization. This policy has no exceptions. We do not sell or exchange your information with any other organization, public, private, or non-profit.

Copies of our IRS Form 990s, evidence of 501(c)3 non-profit status, and audited financial statements are available upon request to financial contributors. Please contact Director of Development & Finance Molly Moen, at mollym@dwcweb.org, for requests or questions.

  

We welcome your donations! DWC accepts donations at 325 S. Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013, any time during the Day Center's open hours: weekdays from 6 am to 4 pm and weekends from 8 am to 2 pm. Come by to drop off donations, or call us if you have any questions at (213) 680-0600. Free parking is available and we will gladly assist you in unloading your donations. We regret that we are unable to pick up donations. Click here for directions!

The Downtown Women's Center maintains a policy that all donations will be distributed directly to program participants or to programs and services that directly benefit the women. We do not re-sell donated items! The only exception to this policy involves items that are donated toward our Annual Fundraising Gala and Auction. In this case, 100% of Auction proceeds directly support our direct services and programs.

Wishlist for the Center - Click for Printable PDF Wishlist

Priorities are in purple

Art Materials
Picture frames - all sizes

Other art materials

Books
Puzzle books
Intermediate ESL materials
Novels
Magazine subscriptions (call us for a current list of desired periodicals)

Office Supplies
Rolls of stamps

Color Laser Printer - New only
Toners (please call us for appropriate type)

Reams of paper (white or colored)

Cardstock
Pens and pencils

In-box trays

Folders and binders

Labels

Staplers and hole-punchers

Paper clips and rubber bands

Household Items
Flashlights - 47 big heavy duty ones with a 5-year shelf life

All silverware but especially forks!

Dish Rags
Dish Soap
Paper Products (plates, napkins, cups)
Plastic Silverware
Sponges
Towels
Emergency preparedness kits
Emergency flashlight/radios
Batteries - all sizes
Universal remote control

Umbrellas

Walkie Talkies for emergency preparedness - 8

Battery-operated Radio and TV for emergency preparedness - 2

Furniture

Bookshelf for Learning Center

Portable Fans
Full-size sheets for Residents - new only

Twin-size sheets for Day Center beds - used or new
Blankets
Apartment/Dorm-Size Refrigerators
Living Room Furniture - vinyl or leather armchairs or sofas
Small household oven
 

Medical Care
Tampons

Maxi-pads

First-Aid Emergency Kits

Deodorant

Band-Aids

Advil/Tylenol/Aspirin (in sealed packages)

Cold medicine: Nyquil (or generic) capsules and cough syrup (in sealed packages)

Women's Clothing - Used or New
All women's clothing in clean condition, please

Cold weather gear
Rain slickers/ponchos
Gloves
Shoes - especially larger sizes
New Socks

Professional wear for our Career Closet (for job interviews, medical appointments, etc.)
 

Birthday Gifts
Volunteer members of the DWC Birthday Guild celebrate every woman's birthday with a gift* from DWC! Re-gifting is encouraged! Here are some ideas:

• Bath robes

• Boom Boxes and Personal Stereos

• Clock radios (or other clocks)

• Gift cards to local businesses (Rite Aid, Starbucks, Subway, Ralphs)

• Jewelry

• Jewelry Boxes

• Nice clothes such as pajama sets, sweater twin sets, or nice lounging sets (like those velour sets with elastic waists and either a zip up hoodie or pull-over top), matching coordinates

• Perfume

• Picture frames

• Purses and totebags

• Generally - new Birthday Gifts ($40-$50). Something you would give a mother or grandmother

• Re-gifting - something you received that is perfectly nice, just not your style. Or something you bought for someone else but never gave. Or new clothing that you realize later doesn't fit you right.

• Bakers/bakeries can arrange to make cakes for the celebration

• Florists/people who like flowers can arrange to deliver flower to the women

• Birthday-themed plates/napkins/cups for 50

• Streamers or other birthday decorations

*We request new items for gift giving.

Other