Volunteer your time
Many programs serving people experiencing homelessness will welcome your assistance, including COVID-safe tasks like putting together care packages or hosting a virtual drive. In some cases, they have staff members who cultivate volunteer relationships.
Donate
Programs serving our most vulnerable residents are always in need of new clothes, especially personal hygiene items, new socks and underwear. Identify the nonprofit provider that operates the shelter in your neighborhood on the SF Service Guide and donate there. Share your donation on social media and encourage your network to contribute, too. You can also support the work of HSH by donating to the Mayor’s Fund for the Homeless.
Fundraise
With social media and crowd-funding options like GoFundMe, it’s never been easier to solicit support for an organization or a cause. Don’t underestimate the power of your social media network. You can use sites like gofundme.com or Facebook’s fundraising tool to start a fundraising drive to support your neighborhood shelter or homeless services program. Consider leveraging your birthday or other gift-giving opportunities to rally your network to donate.
Participate in San Francisco’s Point-in-Time count.
Every two years, the City of San Francisco conducts a HUD-mandated census of the homeless population. The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count includes volunteer teams that conduct a visual assessment of people living unsheltered in San Francisco and a voluntary survey of people experiencing homelessness. These results are combined with a census of all shelter and transitional housing programs to produce biennial PIT count reports. You can access PIT Count reports on the HSH website.