Welcome Home

Welcome newcomers and others resettling in the DMV area

Support Immigrant Families and Those In Need!

There are many ways to help at risk families in the DMV, whether refugees, immigrants, or individuals and families in need. We welcome donors, volunteers, and partner organizations. Whether you are interested in volunteering just once or on an ongoing basis, here are some of our projects and most frequent needs:

Donate Household Items
KindWorks partners with organizations to host giveaways for newcomers and low-income families—distributing a range of household goods and other essentials at no cost. Learn more.
Teach English to Immigrants
Empower women immigrants by teaching English to small groups or individuals, in person and on-line. Consider joining our roster of committed teachers or contribute materials. Learn more.
Share KindFood
Make and share some KindSoup, KindCasserole, KindBananaBread with newly-arrived families and newly-housed individuals supported by our partner organizations (see where to donate your KindFood at the bottom of our KindSoup page) Details here.
Donate Baby & Toddler Items
Support new parents with gently used or new baby and toddler essentials. See donation guidance.
Encourage Love of Reading & Learning
Gather gently used books for readers ranging in age from early reading through high school to be distributed to Little Free Libraries in underserved areas.
Donate funds to KindWorks
You can choose to direct your donation to specifically fund our home setup programs or make an unrestricted general donation. Donate and learn more.

Welcoming Ways

Contact our Welcome Home Manager (info@dokindworks.org) to find out more about upcoming projects.

Donate Household Goods For Giveaways

New & Gently Used Essentials Needed

We are always looking for new volunteers and partners, please email us if you are interested or have questions.

In partnership with non-profit organizations throughout the DMV area, KindWorks hosts giveaways for immigrants, newcomers, and low-income families—distributing a range of household goods and other essentials to individuals and families at no cost. Your contributions of new or gently used items make this special program possible and directly support our new neighbors as they settle into their homes. If you want to help distribute during a giveaway, please email the Program Manager.

Our most needed items include:

Kitchenware: dishes, glasses, cups, pots, pans, flatware, cooking utensils, tea kettles, baking dishes, slow cookers, mixers,
Appliances: vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, lamps, small rugs,
Linens & other essentials: towels, sheets, pillows, blankets, cleaning tools and supplies, laundry baskets, shopping carts,
Requested seasonal needs, such winter coats

All items must be clean and in very good condition — no stains, pet hair, or smoke.

Note: Items will need to be stored at the donor’s residence and be dropped off at designated site with coordination by Program Manager.

Teach English to Immigrant Women

Help empower newcomer women by teaching English in small groups or in individual settings in-person or virtually. Our classes are focused on helping women become confident, independent, and ready to participate fully in society—including obtaining employment.

We currently support four different groups of students:

Beginner 1: Women who are completely illiterate and just starting to learn how to read and write
Beginner 2: Women who are literate in their native language but have no English knowledge
Intermediate: Women who can read, write, and understand some English but struggle with speaking
Advanced: Women who can communicate and are improving their skills through ongoing classes

Many of our students are mothers of young children, which makes attending formal courses or college very difficult. Our flexible, volunteer-led program is designed with their needs in mind.

Some of our graduates have successfully found jobs and graduated from our English classes. This is exactly our mission: to support women in becoming self-sufficient and active members of their communities.

We’re fortunate to have a committed team of teachers but are always looking for more support. No prior teaching experience is required! We provide volunteers with our teaching method and welcome you to share your own ideas.

If you’re ready and willing to volunteer on an ongoing basis with us, contact us. We’d love to hear from you!

Donate Baby & Toddler Items

KindWorks is excited about its new partnerships with local organizations to support new parents in vulnerable communities. We will be gathering and sharing donated baby and toddler items as part of our partners’ organized baby-showers, diaper drives, and holiday celebrations. We could use the following new or gently used items:

Portable Cribs (Pack & Plays), Bassinets
Car and booster seats (please ensure they are not expired and were not involved in any accidents)
Crib sheets, changing pads, potty seats
Strollers, carriers, bouncers, play mats
High chairs, baby bath tubs
Bottles, sippy cups, bottle drying racks
Swaddle blankets, bibs, burp cloths, sleep sacks
Baby proofing items
Breast pumps and maternity tops

New items are always a treat, but gently used items that are clean and in very good condition, are also very appreciated.

Encourage Love of Reading & Learning

Love books? So does KindWorks! Help us spread the love throughout the DMV by donating and/or distributing books for students to Little Free Libraries in select areas through our partnership with Solutions in Hometown Connections.

We are looking for new or gently used books for all young readers, from beginner readers through high-school level. Please skim through the books to ensure there are no markings, stickers, or inappropriate text for young readers.

To volunteer to lead a book drive in your community, gather, review, or distribute books to our partner, please email the Program Manager.

In-Kind Donation Receipt

A Word About Quality

All donated items should be new or very gently used, clean and completely free of pet hair, cobwebs, and cigarette smoke. A good rule of thum nis to consider whether you would pass down an item to a friend.