The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City would like to invite you to join our Warm Welcome Winter Clothing Drive! By donating clean, new or like-new winter clothing, you are supporting newly arrived refugee adults and children as they strive to regain control of their future and thrive in our community.

Update: Winter clothing donations will be accepted through October 7th to the IRC office between 9 am and 5 pm on weekdays.  We are accepting the following items in clean, new, or like-new condition:

Increase your impact by donating a gift card along with your winter clothing. Visa or Mastercard gift cards or gift cards to stores like Walmart, TJMaxx, or other low-cost stores are preferred in amounts between $25 to $100. Access to gift cards helps ensure all sizing is met and helps families purchase hard-to-fit items like winter boots.

To make donating to our Winter Clothing Drive easier than ever, find specific items we need on our Amazon Wishlist! 

Options to make donating easy this year

OPTION 1: If you buy from our Amazon Wishlist, you can have the items shipped directly to our office.

OPTION 2: If you prefer to purchase winter items locally, or if you have like-new items to donate, you can deliver items directly to our office by following these steps:

  1. Please let us know if you have more than one carload of items to donate, so we can plan ahead and make sure we have enough people to help unload!
  2. Review all safety guidelines before arriving to drop off your donation.
  3. If there isn’t a time slot that works for you or if you have additional questions, please email [email protected]

Donations can be dropped off at our office downtown located at 221 South 400 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. 

OPTION 3: If you want to mail items, please contact [email protected] for shipping information. 

Volunteer Opportunities

We will be distributing the winter clothing items to over 740 newly arrived refugees at the beginning of October. Volunteer opportunities will be available to help with donation sorting and setup, acting as a personal shopper, or helping to clean up after the drive is over. Sign up & learn more here » 

Four refugee children pick out winter clothing items at the 2016 Winter Clothing Drive in Salt Lake City
Refugee children and their families picked up much needed winter clothing at the 2016 Warm Welcome Winter Clothing Drive in preparation for their first winter in Salt Lake City.
Photo: Kendall Banks/IRC

Winter Clothing Drive FAQs

Does quality matter for winter clothing donations?

Yes! We like to say, “If you wouldn’t give it to a loved one, then it won’t work for a refugee family.” Refugees should begin their new life with dignity; therefore, we have high expectations for donated goods. Furthermore, because of concerns about COVID-19, and to limit risks to our clients, we are prioritizing NEW clothing items this year. We appreciate your like-new donations, but due to the pandemic this year, like-new clothing must be thoroughly washed and packed in a plastic bag. Clothing should function like-new (e.g. zippers should work; all buttons should be in place; no rips/tears; no large stains). Additionally, kindly check pockets for any hidden treasures before donating.

What types of winter clothing do you accept?

Our priority is new or like-new winter coats, boots, and gloves. We can also accept warm jackets, winter hats, scarves, and warm socks. We accept handmade winter accessories like knit scarves and hats. See our Amazon Wishlist for specific items we are requesting.

Do you accept all clothing donations?

No. The Warm Welcome Winter Clothing Drive focuses specifically on winter clothing items that will keep people warm during the coldest months of the year. However, we are limited in the items we can accept. We are not able to accept everyday clothing items. Additionally, we do not accept long sleeve t-shirts, pants, pajamas, sweatsuits, etc. during the Winter Clothing Drive.

How do you prefer to receive winter clothing donations?

Before dropping winter clothing items off, please sort out any items that are not in clean, new or like-new condition. Again, if the item is not in good condition, we will not be able to accept it. To assist our efforts to provide about 740 newly arrived refugees with winter clothing, please sort winter clothing items into plastic bags labeled with the following categories before delivery:

  1. Adult Female
  2. Adult Male
  3. Youth Female
  4. Youth Male
  5. Toddler/Infant
  6. Winter Accessories

Do I need to make an appointment to drop off donations?

No! You can drop off your donations during working hours Monday-Friday through October 7th. Please reach out to [email protected] to discuss alternatives. As our staff is still partially working remotely, we are only able to accept winter clothing donations from donors who have signed up for a drop-off time.  

Do you just have one drop-off location?

Yes. Donations can be dropped off at our office located at 221 South 400 West during working hours Monday - Friday through October 7th. We are located on the east side of the street with 30-minute or 2-hour parking directly out in front of our door. If those parking spaces are filled, feel free to use the pull-in that provides access to several reserved spaces next to the building. This pull-in can be used briefly to unload, just make sure your hazard lights are on and you do not block the sidewalk.

Can you pick up winter clothing donations from my house?

Unfortunately, no. We have limited capacity to pick up donations in the community, and generally, only schedule pickups for large furniture items. Learn more about our donation pickups. 

Do you provide tax receipts?

Yes! When you drop off winter clothing, our staff members can offer you a donation receipt upon request.

Thank you for supporting our Warm Welcome Winter Clothing Drive! For more information or to learn more about the event, kindly email us at [email protected].