Organize a Drive

Bring your community together to collect essentials for NYC's homeless.

Why Organize a Drive?

Bring people together around a simple way to make a difference. Organizing a drive turns the collective effort of your school, workplace, club, or community into essential supplies for people experiencing homelessness across New York City.

A diverse group of volunteers happily sorting donated food and clothing in a bright community space.

Organize a Drive

How It Works

Follow these four simple steps to organize your drive with StreetLink.

Share Your Idea

Tell us about your group, proposed location, what you’d like to collect, and your preferred dates.

Illustration of a diverse group collaborating on planning a community donation drive.

Coordinate

Work with StreetLink NYC to confirm your drive details, approved items, timing, and logistics.

Bring your community together to collect approved food, clothing, hygiene products, and other needed essentials.

Collect Essentials

Graphic showing a checklist and calendar representing coordination and scheduling.

Diverse young volunteers packing food donation bags and boxes with fresh fruit and water.

Transfer Donations

Diverse volunteers wearing face masks and gloves unloading donation boxes from a white van.

Coordinate with StreetLink NYC to arrange the transfer of collected items so they can support our outreach and distribution efforts.

What You Can Collect

Bring your group together to collect essentials for people experiencing homelessness.

Diverse volunteers sorting donated clothes into cardboard boxes at a community clothing drive.

Two volunteers organizing food and water bottle donations for a charity drive using a digital tablet.

Clothing

Clean socks, shirts, sweatpants, coats, gloves, hats, and seasonal clothing.

Food & Water

Packaged snacks, bottled water, and other nonperishable food items.

A variety of hygiene products like Colgate toothpaste, toothbrushes, Lux soap bars, and folded towels for a charity donation

Gloved hand carrying a brown paper bag filled with takeout food containers, plastic utensils, and fresh bread.

Hygiene Essentials

Other Essentials

Toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, wipes, sanitizer, soap, and other personal care items.

Bags, utensils, food containers, napkins, and other supplies that support distributions.

FOR A SUCCESSFUL DRIVE

Drive Guidelines

Follow these guidelines to keep your drive organized, safe, and useful.

Coordinate With StreetLink

Collect Approved Items

Keep Items Organized

Represent StreetLink Responsibly

Share your drive plans with us to confirm current needs, timing, and donation transfer.

Collect only approved items to ensure donations are useful and ready for distribution.

Sort donations by category and keep collected items clean, secure, and organized until transfer.

Use StreetLink NYC’s name, logo, and materials only as approved.

FAQs

Who can organize a drive?

Schools, workplaces, clubs, community groups, and individuals can organize a drive with StreetLink NYC.

Do I need permission to start a drive

What happens to my donations after my drive?

Can I use StreetLink's name and logo?

What items can I collect?

Coordinate with StreetLink NYC to arrange the transfer of collected items. StreetLink will then use approved donations to support its outreach and distribution efforts.

Drives can collect approved food and water, clothing, hygiene essentials, and other useful supplies. See the “What You Can Collect” section above for details.

Yes. Please submit your drive idea to StreetLink NYC before beginning your collection. We'll coordinate with you on approved items, timing, and transfer arrangements.

Yes, once your drive is coordinated with StreetLink NYC. Any use of StreetLink NYC’s name, logo, or official materials should be approved beforehand.

Can StreetLink help me promote my drive

Once your drive is approved, we can coordinate with you on appropriate materials and information to help you promote it.

Can I collect money during my drive?

Donation drives are intended for approved physical items unless otherwise coordinated with StreetLink NYC. Please contact us before conducting any fundraising on StreetLinks behalf.

What if I have a different idea that isn't listed here?

Absolutely. Submit your idea through the Organize a Drive form or contact us, and we can determine whether it fits StreetLink NYC’s needs and programs.