Thank you Gallatin Refugee Connections!!

Last week, Gallatin Refugee Connections held their 2nd annual drive for the International Rescue Committee and Soft Landing Missoula to collect Welcome Kits that provide new and like-new household supplies and warm clothes for refugees arriving in Missoula.

Bozeman showed up in huge numbers and provided Missoula’s refugees with a 20’ truck and a 12’ trailer FULL TO THE BRIM with over 200 Welcome Kits!!!! We are still in awe and shock at how kind and generous the residents of Bozeman are.

Once the entire truckload of items arrived in Missoula, the IRC, SLM, and members of the St Francis Xavier church got to work and hauled everything up 5 flights of stairs where the incredible members of St Francis are allowing us to store them. This amount of Welcome Kits could last the International Rescue Committee up to a year!! The winter clothing donated all came to Soft Landing and refugee families are now able to grab the needed items to keep toasty warm this winter.

Thank you to the IRC, St Francis church, Gallatin Refugee Connections, and the incredible people of Bozeman. We are so grateful for the growing community of kind and welcoming people here under the Big Sky.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

P.S. Here’s an article that Daniel Duensing from the Montana Kaiman wrote about the unpacking!

Winter Clothing Drive!


WinterClothingDonations

It’s that time of year! The air is getting crisp, there’s snow in the mountains, and Missoula’s refugee community is starting to feel the cold!!

STARTING TODAY- We are on the lookout for most winter clothing items for adults and children of all ages such as:

  • Hats

  • Gloves + Mittens

  • Socks

  • Boots

  • Jackets

  • Snow Pants

  • Snow Suits

  • Long Underwear

  • Yak Traks

  • Also welcoming blankets and other warm items!

As always, we ask that items be new or VERY gently used in order to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We care deeply to create a truly welcoming and complete home for families, not burden them with broken or heavily-used items that may prove unusable. (No stains, tears, frayed edges, pet hair/odor, missing pieces, etc.)

If you have any items you would like to donate, please drop them off at Soft Landing’s office: 939 Stephens Ave Suite C Missoula, MT 59801 between 9am-3pm M-F. We are so excited for Missoula’s newest refugees to experience their first Montana winter, so help us make it as enjoyable as possible by keeping them toasty warm!!

Winter Donations Needed

Because of your generous clothing donations, we have been able to help all the recently arrived refugee families to stay warm. But we need to replenish our supplies for newly arriving families. While we are no longer able to accept donations of everyday clothing, we are still in need of the following winter outerwear:

For Adults and Children 2-17
New or gently used:
• Winter coats
• Hats, gloves, scarves
• Winter boots
• Fleece jackets
• Snow pants (Youth only)
• Flip flops (not for winter, not outerwear, but we need ’em)
• Warm socks
• Long underwear

For Children under 2
New or gently used:
• Hats and mittens
• Ones-ies
• Snowsuit

Diapers in size 4 and 5 are always needed and welcome.

For the month of December, we will have drop-off hours at Soft Landing Missoula (939 Stephens) on Mondays and Wednesdays, 12 – 2 pm. Can’t make it during these times? Email Donate@softlandingmissoula.org to schedule an alternative drop-off time.

Thank you!