donation faqs

Thanks for asking! We know that if you are reading this, you have a heart to help those experiencing homelessness, hunger, and poverty in our community just like we do. We are so grateful for your desire to join our work through material giving.

In the work of receiving donations, we try to connect your generosity with the real needs of the individuals and families we serve. We also want you to be confident that your material giving is meeting the end for which it is intended.

For these reasons we try to be intentional both with what we ask for and what we receive. For the things that we cannot receive, we will do our best to re-direct your donation to where it can be better used.

For the most up-to-date list of the current needs in each of our programs, please review our Amazon Wish Lists.

We generally accept specific household, toiletry, and new essential clothing items. Here are some examples:

Household Items
- Cleaning Supplies (all-purpose cleaner, mops, brooms, disinfectant, laundry detergent)
- Kitchenware (dishes, silverware, pots, pans, can openers)
- Linens (new/gently used towels, new bedsheets)

Toiletries
- Shampoo (regular and gallon-sized)
- Body Wash (regular and gallon-sized)
- Deodorant
- Razors
- Shaving Cream

Clothing (*NEW ONLY*)
- Plain t-shirts
- Sweatshirts, sweatpants
- Athletic shorts
- Underwear, sports bras

We do accept specific non-perishable food donations and diner supplies. For more information, check out our FoodNet and St. Joseph Diner pages.

For the most up-to-date list of our current needs, review our Amazon Wish Lists.

St. Joseph Diner operates in compliance with ServSafe® standards which require that all meals served be prepared in our kitchen. In addition, many of the clientele we serve have current medical vulnerabilities or a generally increased risk for illness due to the stressful conditions they are experiencing.

We recommend reaching out to Second Harvest or contacting churches in your area to see if they know of a family in need or have any events coming up that need meal support.

We do not have the facilities to manage the proper intake and distribution of used clothing, but there are other local non-profits who do a fantastic job in this area and issue vouchers for our clients to provide for their own clothing needs free of charge.

Non-profits who receive used clothing in Lafayette include, but may not be limited to:

The Extra Mile Clothes Closet
The Hub
DesOrmeaux Foundation: Baby & Me Boutique
Salvation Army Family Store
Goodwill

Blessing Bags typically contain travel-sized toiletries, socks, and a snack. These are perfect for handing out to people you may encounter who are experiencing homelessness in situations where resources may not be easily accessible.

However, in our programs, we do not distribute Blessing Bags for a few reasons.

Individualized Care –
Our clients receive the items they need from designated case workers and staff members as their unique, individual needs arise.

Waste Reduction –
People experiencing homelessness often don’t have space to store excess items. So, if they receive something that they don’t need immediately, it becomes trash or litter.

Inventory Management –
All donated items that come through our door must be carefully recorded upon receipt and distribution. This means that we must disassemble each Blessing Bag to count each individual item within them.

Instead of donating Blessing Bags to our programs, consider separating and organizing the items you would include into groups of 10, 25, etc. and labeling them. This will help us to efficiently intake and distribute your gifts in the most effective way to take care of our clients’ particular needs.

If you purchase items from our Amazon Wish Lists, they will be delivered directly to our door. Otherwise, please review the information below.

Non-perishable food donations: These can be dropped off in the designated bins at participating grocery stores during their operating hours. For more information on what food items we accept and drop-off locations, check out our FoodNet and St. Joseph Diner pages.

All other in-kind donations are received by appointment only. To arrange a drop-off time and location, please contact Julie Buller, Donations Coordinator, at (337) 235-4972, ext. 1210.

We are SO GRATEFUL for all of our donors. Our work cannot be done without your support. Thank you!!

We will happily provide a donation receipt for you if requested. Direct questions about tax deductions should be directed to your CPA. For questions about donation receipts, please contact Julie Buller, Donations Coordinator at (337) 235-4972, ext. 1210.