Wesley Center Wish Lists

Note:  Due to lack of space, Wesley Center is no longer accepting used clothing and household items.

How You Can Help Us: 

Below are "wish lists", donating used electronic equipment, Campbell's Soup Labels, and more opportunites for you to help us.

Click here for information on Purchasing a Brick

Click Here for Food Pantry Wish List

Click Here for Amigos Center and Family/Youth Services Wish List

Click Here for Wesley Health Center Wish List, including Basic Baby Needs

Click Here for Additional Miscellaneous Items, including Christmas Adopt-a-Family   

Click Here for Used Electronics to be Recycled

Click Here for Campbell's Product Label Information

Food Pantry: 

Emergency Food Pantry
Disposable diapers sizes 1-5
Shampoo
Paper towels
Toilet Paper
Bar soap
 
Food Pantry:  (Please check expiration dates on food items)
   
Boxed Cereal -- 12 oz - 18 oz
Crackers -- 16 oz
Peanut Butter/Jam -- 16 oz
Instant Soups -- 10 oz
Pasta/Spaghetti Sauce -- 26 oz
Sugar -- 5 lbs
Pinto Beans -- 1 lb - 2 lbs
White Rice -- 1 lb - 2 lbs
Flour -- 5 lbs
Canned Vegetables -- 14 oz - 16 oz
Canned Meat -- 14 oz - 16 oz
Cooking Oil -- 48 oz or less
Tomato Sauce -- 8 oz - 15 oz
Tuna -- 5 oz
Jello -- 3 oz - 5 oz
Instant Mashed Potatoes -- 12 oz
Macaroni 'n' Cheese -- 7.25 oz
   
   
   
Suggested sizes courtesy of Faith United Methodist Church leadership.

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Amigos Center and Family/Youth Services:

Seniors Program
Note from Betty Mathis, WCC's Executive Director:

Sewing Class
Cotton and Cotton-blend Fabrics
Universal Sewing Thread--All colors, in addition to always much-needed black and white
Iron-on Interfacing

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Wesley Health Center:

Laptop Computers

The following items can be assembled into a neutral-colored "baby bag", which are given to new and expecting mothers:

5 rompers
5 sleepers
5 pairs of baby socks
1-2 hats
2 burp pads
3 receiving blankets
1 pack of disposable diapers
1 pack of disposable wipes
3-5 baby wash cloths
1 towel
1 bottle of gentle baby wash
1 bottle of diaper ointment

The following items can be obtained through a medical supply company:

Fetal monitor

NST machine

Ultrasound machine

Cholestech machine

Rapid thyroid analyzer (TSH)

Other:

Facial tissue boxes for the Health Center. A specific size is needed to fit the holders on the walls. The box measures 9 1/2" by 4 3/4" and is 2 1/2" tall. The 100-count Kleenex box is the right size for these holders. Marcal ® Small Steps® brand, 144 count, found (only) at Albertsons also fits in the plastic holders in each exam room. (Marcal® is a “green” company – their products are made from recycled paper.) Puffs Plus Lotion®, 72 count (only this type of Puffs) also fits the holders.

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Christmas Adopt-a-Family:

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the 2011 Christmas Family Adoption Program

IMPORTANT:   As a result of some discussions about this annual program, our “adoption” emphasis again is for children/youth only, ages 0-15.

2011 Timeline:
December 9    Donors deliver individually wrapped gifts to WCC
December 9    Deadline to deliver “adopted” family gifts to WCC

NOTE:  The dates are early this year due to school break beginning December 16 and Christmas being on Sunday.

1. How do I/we begin the process of “adopting” Wesley Center's children/youth for the 2011 Christmas program? First, please read all of the following information. If you/your group would like to participate, please complete the Donor Information form and either mail or fax it (602-252-5768) to Betty Mathis, Wesley Community Center's Executive Director. (For more information about the decision to assist only children for 2011, please contact Betty.)
   
2. I/We adopted last year. Will we be able to assist the same recipients? Families may move or may not qualify for the 2011 program due to the fact that they no longer participate in any of the agency's programs; however, we will try to accommodate your request.
   
3. I/We had some concerns about our assistance in past years. Who can help us determine if this type of program is beneficial to both us and the children? Please contact Betty Mathis, 602-252-5609 with your questions/concerns/comments.
   
4. Is there a deadline for being a Christmas donor? Yes. We would like to have your commitment to us no later than November 18.
   
5. When will we receive our information about our children? The potential recipients are being registered and interviewed between September 26 and October 7, 2011. We will send you information once we've received your completed Donor Information form.
   
6. What will we know about our children? We will provide you with names, gender, ages, sizes, gift suggestions, and with what program(s) they or their parents participate.
   
7. How does Wesley select the children who are assisted? In order for the recipients to be eligible for adoption, at least one adult and/or child/youth member of the immediate family must have participated and/or volunteered in at least one of the programs offered at Wesley or Amigos Center (at least 6 months participation in last calendar year).
   
8. How do we know that the children really need assistance? Since the eligible children are regular programs participants, the program directors know the clients personally and know that their needs are legitimate. (The majority of our participants earn below the federal poverty line.)
   
9. Do the children ask for items that they really want? Yes. However, we do discourage large video, cell phone, and other inappropriate requests. The issue of bicycles is always a difficult decision. So many children/youth want bikes that we often rely upon the donors to determine if they wish to provide the bicycle(s). 
   
   
10. Are the clothing sizes on the registration sheet accurate? Please know that we have done our best to be as accurate as possible; however, do not hesitate to contact us with questions regarding sizes.
    
    
11. Are we expected to purchase everything on the children's list? No. Most donors do not have the capability to provide
    everything that a recipient might like to have; on registration day, we encouraged them to give two (2) gift suggestions so the donors may have options.
    
12. How many gifts should we purchase for each individual? 2 gifts only, please.* (Note: Please have at least one new toy as opposed to all gifts being new clothes. Our children and youth are like all kids!) Please feel free to contact Betty Mathis with any questions regarding this issue.
    
    *In previous years, some of our donors underestimated the generosity of the donor group and provided entirely too many gifts for the family (for example, one child received 10 gifts). If that happened to you in 2010, please consider adopting more children this year.
    
13. May we give something to the family, i.e. money and/or gift certificates? We ask that you don't give the families money - primarily because so many all-purpose (Target/Wal-Mart) stores now have gift cards. Older teens especially enjoy the gift cards from stores for clothes, music, or videos; gift certificates from grocery stores are appreciated by the whole family, (Since the Food City/Basha’s was closed in early 2010, there are not neighborhood grocery stores; any food gift certificate for any store will be appreciated.)
    
14. Should all the gifts be new? Yes, we ask that all gifts be new. No one likes to receive used clothes or toys on Christmas - our clients are no exception.
    
    
15. What should we do once we've bought all the gifts? Please follow these steps:
    a. Double-check that each child/youth has received 2 gifts.
    b. Wrap each gift.
    c. Put the person's name & adoption number on each name tag.
    d. Place a well-secured, completed nametag on each wrapped gift.
    e. The gifts for each family should be placed in a large bag(s).
    f. Securely tape a copy of the family's registration form to the outside of each large bag of gifts for the family.
    g. If there is more than one large bag of gifts per family, please mark the total number of bags for that family on each registration form on each bag (for example, if there are 2 total bags, mark one with “1 of 2” and the other with “2 of 2”).
    h. If you're providing a food box for each family, please securely fasten the registration form to the box as well.
    
    NOTE: Wesley does not have the volunteer or staff time to wrap gifts or play guessing games with wrapped gifts that do not have name tags. In previous years, some donors didn't follow our specific instructions and caused much overtime for our already-busy staff. Please double-check all gifts with the adoption registration form before delivering them to the Center.
    
16. I/We would prefer to adopt only children. Can we do this? Yes. This year only children/youth ages 0-15 will be adopted.
    
17. If we want to make food boxes, what should we purchase? It is suggested that all donors provide a food box with the gifts for the family's use, but it is not mandatory. All food should be placed in sturdy boxes.
    
    Please choose some or all of the following non-perishable items: canned hams; coffee; sugar; flour; white rice; pinto beans; peanut butter; canola oil; macaroni & cheese; instant soups; jam; pasta & sauce; canned vegetables; canned fruit; toiletries/paper goods. No cans of cranberries; frozen turkeys, or frozen hams, please. (FYI: Canned hams can be purchased at drug stores like Walgreen's.)
    
18. Can we choose to donate only food boxes? Definitely. If quantities allow, each family will receive a food box with their gifts (unless the donor has also provided a food box). Food is needed year-round—especially since Wesley is one of the only locations in surrounding areas that still offer emergency food assistance.
    
19. When should we bring our wrapped, marked, and bagged gifts to Wesley? Please see the dates listed at the top of this section. Since storage space at the Center is extremely limited, we would appreciate that you follow the guidelines for donor delivery during the week of December 5 - 9 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
    
20. How do the families receive their gifts? The families will be notified to pick up their gifts no later than Friday, December 16.
    
    Once Wesley has made a commitment to a family by connecting them with a donor, it is extremely important that all donors respect our 2011 timeline and follow the above instructions. In the last several years we've worked with donors who did not respect our delivery dates and who didn’t even follow through on their Christmas commitment - not only making more work and frustrations for our staff but disappointing our families and their children who were promised a Christmas. Luckily, these donors are in the minority; we've had the pleasure of working with many generous donors!

Thank you for your caring support of Wesley Community Center's program participants & neighborhood residents!

Please direct any other questions about this program to: Betty Mathis – 602-252-5609 or mathiswcc@aol.com

Miscellaneous Items:
Seeds Packets for Spring and Fall Community Garden planting