Your support for Columbus House, a 501c3, not-for-profit organization, is vital. Through your financial contributions, volunteerism, fund and clothing drives and by getting your employer or other groups involved, you will make a significant difference and may quite literally save a life! Your involvement will help people like Daniel who was "utterly lost" on the streets of New Haven for 18 years before finding his way - and a home - at our Permanent Supportive Housing Site, Cedar Hill Apartments. Or Mary who has been sober for four years and has held a steady job for nearly as long. Or Charles, who used our services one long, cold winter and who is now on staff assisting others.
Columbus House is an independent not-for-profit organization that collaborates with numerous social service and government agencies to help those in the greatest need in New Haven and throughout the state. We are not a government agency. Each year Columbus House must apply for no less than 25 different grants from federal, state and local agencies. We must also apply to the City of New Haven for funding to operate the Men's Seasonal Overflow Shelter. There are no guarantees and there are no automatic renewals. At the beginning of each funding cycle we are at the mercy of changing budgets, shifting political agendas and competition from other worthy agencies throughout the region, state and country.
The easiest way to help Columbus House continue our mission of helping those experiencing homelessness identify and overcome those root causes that contributed to their homelessness and get them back into housing is to make an unrestricted financial contribution. You can feel good knowing that you helped save a life by supporting Columbus House with a financial contribution. Click here to donate.
Over 200 volunteers assist our staff throughout the year doing everything from serving meals to painting and general office help. Our volunteers are a critical part of the work here at Columbus House. Without a dedicated core of volunteers, Columbus House would be unable to provide the scope of services currently offered. For more information on how you can volunteer at Columbus House, please call our volunteer coordinator at 203-401-4400 x106 or e-mail at info@columbushouse.org. Click here to fill out the Volunteer form. |
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People who work at Columbus House are special. They range in age, education, experience, and background, but they are unified in their interest to help others. |
Most evenings, groups from throughout the community purchase, prepare and cook the evening meal to serve to the clients at the shelter. These are often church groups, businesses, high schools, civic clubs and families who come to Columbus House every month on their chosen evening(s). Many have been serving meals since our beginning in 1982. Working in coordination with our kitchen staff, most groups purchase the food, prepare the meal and then serve at our main shelter or Men's Seasonal Overflow; others use what's in the Columbus House food pantry for the evening meals. Each group plans its own menu for the evening. |
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Dinner is served about 5:45 p.m. every night. For information about meal serving at Columbus House, please call our Volunteer Coordinator at 203.401.4400 x106, or send an email to info@columbushouse.org. |
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save lives by making your voice heard in Hartford and in Washington. Contact policy makers through phone calls, letters and e-mails. Let our elected officials know that there are people dying on the streets of Connecticut and that you want them to make changes so we can end the crisis of homelessness. Keep abreast of pending legislation that impacts funding to agencies such as Columbus House by joining our Advocacy Alert list. Find your state representatives here and let your voice be heard.
Work with our professional staff in development, marketing, public relations and communications. You will gain valuable, real-world experience while learning about the root causes of homelessness and what organizations like Columbus House are doing to help people who are homeless identify and overcome those causes. Columbus House staff will work with your instructor in order to help you satisfy specific course requirements. For more information about internships, please call our Volunteer Coordinator at (203) 401-4400 x106, or send an email to info@columbushouse.org.
Do you have clothing or bedding in good condition that you no longer need? We accept donations of new or gently used items such as:
- TWIN size bed sheets and pillow cases
- bath towels
- hats, gloves, scarves, boots
- new socks underwear for adult men & women
- tooth brushes and toothpaste
- feminine hygiene products
- gift cards
- large duffle bags
- blankets
It's easy and it's fun! Rally support from your friends, neighbors, co-workers or those with whom you worship. Help Columbus House continue its mission of saving lives by conducting a fund drive. Columbus House supporters have collected aluminum cans, solicited pledges for overnight sleep-outs and held bake sales. A 7 year old once held a neighborhood tag sale and donated more than $200 to Columbus House. For information on how you or your group can help by conducting a fund drive please contact our Development Associate at 203-401-4400 x116 or info@columbushouse.org
Make a difference this Holiday Season by participating in our annual grass roots effort to raise awareness, funds and much needed clothing items for those experiencing homelessness throughout the region. Get your employer, school, civic group, club, or religious organization to join you in hosting a fundraiser or collection. Drop off points will be listed on the Columbus House web site and communicated to local media. Columbus House has secured coats, sweaters, blankets, socks, hats & gloves and Christmas gifts during this annual campaign. In addition, we have raised thousands of dollars to be used to offset the enormous cost of caring for so many during the winter months. For information on how you or your group can make a difference this Holiday Season please contact our Development Associate at 203-401-4400 x116 or info@columbushouse.org
Once again this Spring Columbus House will host a NON-EVENT and encourage you to stay home and not attend. Last year, Columbus House hosted its' first ever Non-Event and it was a huge success. We encouraged supporters to purchase tickets for an event that would NOT take place on May 24th. Instead, we encouraged them to stay home and have some popcorn and watch a movie with their family. The first 50 ticket purchasers received a copy of the Will Smith DVD, "The Pursuit of Happiness" along with a bag of Newman's Own popcorn. Columbus House saved money by not incurring the enormous costs associated with hosting an event and we raised over $10,000!
Click here for information about our 2008 Non-A-Thon
How many times a day do you search the internet through Google, Yahoo or another search engine? What if Columbus House earned a penny every time you ran those searches? Well, now we can. GoodSearch.com is a new search engine that donates half its revenue, about a penny per search, to the charity its users designate. You use it just as you would any search engine, and it's powered by Yahoo, so you still get great results.
So please go to http://www.goodsearch.com, enter Columbus House as the charity you want to support, click the "Verify" button, and then run your search. Once you select Columbus House, it should pop up as your charity of choice each time you visit the page. Just 500 people searching four times a day will raise about $7300 in a year without anyone spending a dime. You can even see how much money has been raised year-to-date by hitting the "Amount Raised" button on the search page.
