Covid has hit the whole world and I know many people reading this post have lost dear ones, jobs, money, health, routines, and so on. Some families and communities have been hit way worse than others. They are paying a high price and struggling to clothe or feed their kids, even here in Finland. When we feel our lives are spiraling out of our control, our first instinct is to shut down and cling to anything we can, including material objects like money. Who knows what will happen next? However, this is the time to fight that instinct. This is the time to come together as communities and help each other. Everyone has something to give and share with others.

Hope Yhdistys is a nonprofit operating throughout Finland. They collect donations of clothes and houseware to redistribute to families in need. The pandemic has hit the economy hard. Tens of thousands of families have lost their income or seen it considerably cut. Hope has seen a surge in requests for assistance, with thousands of families asking for help.

With the cold season starting, they are especially keen to receive donations of winter clothes and shoes for adults and children. Other items that are warmly appreciates are

• toys
• bedsheets or towels
• kitchenware and utensils
• hobby/sport equipment and clothes
• books
• anything a house can need, except for furniture.

It is important that objects are in good conditions, no broken or dirty donations. We all can dig something of our closets, right? That one coat that simply doesn’t fit your size or taste anymore and that you have buried deep in the closet… or your children’s clothes from the past year.

On Hope’s website you can see what is the closest collection point. For the capital area, you can bring donations from Monday to Thursday between 9AM and 1PM at Kutomotie 6 A, 00380 Helsinki. To grant the volunteers’ safety, please leave your donations the loading dock in the courtyard, volunteers will pick them up and carry them inside.

If you or your family are going through a rough patch and you need Hope’s services, do not hesitate to contact them through this form. The form is only in Finnish, but I have screenshot a translation to English here:

If money is tight and you need equipment for your child’s hobby (that’s damn expensive, I know!), they can help. If you need to dress your kids for the upcoming winter, they can help. There’s no shame in asking for help and they guarantee total privacy to the families they assist, including allowing them to visit their warehouse in different timeslots than those reserved for donations.

Before you go, there’s something small you can do right now. Help me to spread the word about Hope: share this post on social media and encourage friends to bring their donations or help Hope reach families who need help.
You can also download this graphic and share it on your Instagram stories. Let’s make things that counts go viral!

Featured image courtesy of the UN.