Due to overwhelming demand from our partner agencies, Jersey Cares established the First Night Kit Program. Throughout the year, Jersey Cares manages projects in which volunteers assemble kits for domestic violence shelters, transitional housing facilities, runaway safe havens, foster homes and other agencies with transitional populations in need of hygiene items on the "first night" of their stay. As soon as items are received they are distributed to participating agencies.
How to Get Involved
REGISTER TO COLLECT
As a collection site, you will have the opportunity to assist displaced families in New Jersey by providing them with essential toiletry items needed for their first night stay at a shelter or transitional home. If you are an individual or group looking to donate to the First Night Kit Program, please click HERE to register as a collection site.
Items ACCEPTED for First Night Kits include:
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Soap and body wash
- Lotion
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
- Deodorant
- Combs and brushes
- Travel-size tissues
- Chapstick
- Socks
- Underwear
- Gallon-size zip lock bags (if you plan to package the kits yourself)
Items NOT ACCEPTED for First Night Kits include:
- Razors
- Clothing (new or used)
- Alcohol-based items such as mouthwash, perfumes, or body mists
- Toys
- Used or opened items
- Food
DELIVERY ADDRESS AND INSTRUCTIONS
*THE JERSEY CARES OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED AND UNABLE TO ACCEPT DONATIONS ON THE FOLLOWING DATES IN 2025: May 23 & 26, June 19, July 4, July 7, August 29, September 1, November 27 & 28, and December 22-31.*
Prior to delivery, please either package one of each item into a gallon-size Ziploc bag or sort collected items by kind (i.e. shampoo, conditioner, brushes, underwear) into a box.
Donations may be dropped off Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Please call our office at (973) 533-1993 and press option 2 upon arrival to be directed to our loading dock for delivery assistance.
If you would like to ship your donations, please mail them to the address listed above.
This is an ongoing initiative, there is no deadline for collected items.
DONATE VIRTUALLY
Want to donate, but can't make it to the store?
Donate items via YouGiveGoods to have items sent directly to us!
HOST AN ONLINE DRIVE
You can also run your very own First Night Kit collection drive online for free!
To set up your online collection page, please click HERE and click "Join Now" to begin customizing.
Corporate partners can click HERE to see the benefits of creating a drive with YouGiveGoods.
REGISTER TO RECEIVE
**Please be advised that only registered 501c3 organizations, government agencies, or public schools from New Jersey will be considered for donations**
If you are an agency in need of First Night Kits, please click HERE to fill out the agency application form. First Night Kit donations become available periodically and organizations will be contacted in the order requests were received. Thank you for your patience!
Questions? Please call us at 973-533-1993 or email us at volunteerprograms@jerseycares.org.
