Financial Donations
The generosity of the community enables The Inn to help thousands of people. The Inn of The Good Shepherd is a registered Canadian charity and we are pleased to be able to provide a tax receipt for all financial donations.
Charitable Tax Registration Number: 13131 2092 RR0001
Whether its focusing on purchasing food items, getting those bulk purchase deals, helping that family stay housed with Rent/Utility assistance, or providing school supplies to children – your financial donation allows The Inn to help in so many ways!
You can also donate by mail or over the phone, here’s how…
By mail – mail your cheque to: The Inn – 115 John St., Sarnia, ON N7T 2Z1
Why not join the ‘post-dated’ club and send in a quantity of post-dated cheques that will be deposited according to your wishes?
By phone – call The Inn at (519) 344-1746 x301 to make a VISA or Master Card donation.
By e-transfer – through on-line banking, we can accept an e-transfer at the following email address: accounting@theinnsarnia.ca. Please include your mailing address in the comments box to receive an income tax receipt.
Food Donations
Thank you for joining in the fight against hunger. Your food donations go right to the plates of families and individuals who are struggling. Every month, the food bank will distribute over 65,000 pounds of food to some 800 households – that’s 2,475 people – 940 of which are children!
The Inn’s food bank is designed using a grocery store model where clients are given points based on the size of their household and they can ‘spend’ those points to select the food they need. Not only does this treat our shoppers with dignity and respect but it reinforces the life skill of grocery shopping on a budget and greatly reduces waste, as folks are getting the food they need and can use.
Food items can be dropped off at the following locations:
– The Inn – 115 John St – between 8:30 am & 4:30pm, Monday to Friday
– The Lodge – 950 Confederation St – anytime
– Firehalls (during the Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving food drives)
Most needed Food Bank items:
- Cereal & Instant oatmeal
- Fabric softener/bounce sheets
- Cat & Dog food
- Diapers size 4-6
- Side dishes
- School Snacks, granola bars & Juice Boxes
- Cookies
- Crackers
- Fruit & pudding cups
- Large Soups & Stews
- Canned Fruit
- Peanut butter & Jam
- Kraft Dinner
- Dish Soap
- Sugar
- Coffee
- Cake mix & icing
- Shampoo, conditioner & Body wash
- men’s & ladies deodorant
- toilet paper
The Inn has collection barrels at several grocery stores which are picked up regularly. Many donors find if very convenient to be able to place a few items in the barrel on their weekly shopping visit!
We are very happy to receive fresh and frozen items such as milk, meat, fruit & vegetables etc. For health reasons, they would have to be dropped off directly at The Inn at 115 John St.
Interested in running a food drive at work, at school or in your neighbourhood? Contact our Food Bank Coordinator at (519) 344-1746 x316. We can help provide a collection barrel and signage!
Thank you! For allowing The Inn to be your caring hands in the community!
Clothing & Household Items
In order to better meet the needs of our clients and their families, we have made significant changes to our Genesis program. The Inn will continue to support clients with emergency clothing needs, but thanks to our wonderful new partnerships with Goodwill and the Mission Thrift Store, we are now distributing vouchers for those stores and diverting clothing donations to them, so those organizations can continue their great community work. Making a clothing donation to either organization helps support the hard work happening at The Inn.
The other critical piece of the Genesis program is our house and kitchen wares. When people who are experiencing homelessness are housed, it can be overwhelming to start thinking of all the items they need to purchase. Genesis provides clients with Kitchen Kits – a box of kitchen and home items that everyone needs to prepare and serve a meal in their new home.
The Inn is always seeking donations for our Kitchen Kits, and we are specifically looking for the following new or lightly used items:
Dishware – plates, bowls, mugs, cups
Cookware – frying pans, small/medium pots, baking sheets
Small Appliances – toasters, microwaves, coffee pots, electric kettles
Flatware – forks, butter knives, steak knives, spoons
Cooking Utensils – spatulas, ladles, can openers
Other Essentials – colanders, cutting boards, towels, personal fans
Donations of the above items can be dropped off at 115 John Street between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm Monday to Friday or 950 Confederation anytime.