How it Works

Assembling CWS Kits is an easy way to share your love with others and have a fun experience with your family and friends.

Assemble

This is the fun part! Now its time to assemble the CWS Kits. Maybe you could even host a kit assembly party?

Share

When you share a CWS Hygiene Kit, you show a tremendous amount of love and support to our neighbors around the world. CWS will share these kits on your behalf to communities in need.

Transform Lives

These kits will provide a little piece of hope when someone needs it most.

What are CWS Kit Depots?

CWS Kit Depots are designated businesses, organizations and local churches that serve as dedicated kit drop-off locations for donors and volunteers. Kits are collected and housed at these secure drop-off points and used to respond to the needs of communities throughout the United States.

An ideal kit drop-off location has…..

A safe and secure location with a room or open space of, at least, 100 square feet that could be used to store CWS Kits.
A room or space easily accessible without stairs.
A parking lot large enough to accommodate a semi-truck for loading kits.

“I also want to thank you for your regular communications and the informational packet you sent me. I was able to be confident in carrying out this role for the first time because of your guidance and the materials. I am very thankful for the work you do to help us contribute to the ministry of Church World Service!”

Volunteers play an essential role in responding to the needs of their local community and communities across the United States. We welcome individuals, congregations, companies, organizations or local clubs that are interested in volunteering as a group.

An ideal Kit Depot volunteer is….

16 years of age or older. Children under the age of 16 may volunteer with their parent or guardian.
Available 2-4 hours a week during the kit collection period.
Able to keep accurate records. (Volunteers count the kits and submit a Tally Sheet following the kit collection).
Available to transport kits, if needed. Sometimes kits must be moved to another location. The volunteer is responsible for ensuring they are transported.

Sometimes Kit Depot volunteers need to move things around, including boxes and buckets filled with supplies. CWS asks our kit donors to keep the boxes under 25 pounds, but sometimes they are heavier. Having a small cart available to move these items is suggested. If you can’t lift 25 pounds don’t let that stop you from volunteering. You can always recruit someone at your church or organization to help you move the boxes, when needed.
CWS Kit Depots collect Hygiene Kits, School Kits, Period Packs, Welcome Backpacks and Emergency Cleanup Buckets.
Consider setting your Kit Depot hours during the regular operating hours of your congregation or organization.

To accommodate donors, Kit Depots may operate on any day of the week.

If possible, volunteers should be present during kit collection and meet the donors during the deliveries.

Depots can operate “by appointment only,” which simply means the donor must contact the location prior to dropping off the kits.

CWS hosts kit collection events in the Spring and Fall each year. Typically, Spring kit collections are held in the Eastern part of the U.S., while Fall kit collections are in the Midwest and other locations around the U.S.

Trucking is expensive and we want to be a good steward of our donations. In most situations, kits are collected from each depot once a year. Occasionally, if there is a catastrophic emergency, there will be an additional pick up.

To prepare for pick up, volunteers should move all kits to a location easily accessible for the truck driver—most likely that is outside in a parking lot.

The volunteer should be available during the truck pick up.

Types of CWS Depots: Seasonal Kit Depots and Year-Round Depots

Seasonal Kit Depots

Kit Depots are open, at minimum for 1 week. Kit Depots may choose to remain open for a longer time period.
To prepare the kits for pick up, volunteers should plan to move the kits to an easily accessible location for the truck driver. Typically, that is outside in a parking lot.
Volunteers should be available and onsite during kit pick up.

Year-Round Kit Depots

Year-Round Kit Depots are open at least 4 times a year: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
Each seasonal kit collection is at least 1 week.
A Year-Round Kit Depot can also be “by appointment only,” which simply means the donor must contact the location prior to dropping off kits.
In most situations, a truck will pick up kits from each depot once a year.

Become a CWS Kits Partner

Reach out and a CWS engagement team member will get back to you.

Thank you for your interest in serving as a Volunteer for the CWS Kit Depot program.