Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners

Kits and Service Projects

What do healthy snacks, feminine hygiene products, and laundry detergent have in common?

They are among the most popular items in our food shelf – and often difficult and/or expensive to source. Many of the items are also ideal for people who may be experiencing unstable housing and sharing bathrooms or other amenities.

Kits containing these in-demand essentials help us meet the basic needs of families and individuals in our community across more than 1,600 households. Assembling them as a service project or group volunteer opportunity is a great choice for kids or adults who want to make a difference in our community.

Click the categories below for each set of kit assembly instructions, or download a PDF of all kit instructions.

BEVERAGE KITS

Beverages are one of the most requested items in our food shelf and are expensive for us to purchase. Help ensure we always have shelves stocked with options for guests. Interfaith Outreach is unable to purchase or provide materials for a service project, please plan to purchase or source items on your own.

Each kit should include:

  • Coffee K-cup pods: 15 – 20 per kit
  • Tea Bags (wrapped in original paper packaging): 15 – 20 per kit
  • Water Flavor Sticks: 15 – 20 per kit

Kits should be packed with the number of items indicated and all items included should be the same type or flavor. So, one kit = 15 medium roast k-cups, OR 15 dark roast k-cups, OR 10 English Breakfast tea bags. Packing items this way allows families and individuals to choose kits that contain items they enjoy

Place all items into gallon, quart, or sandwich size Ziploc bags and seal tightly.

  • Quart bags should be used for K-Cup pods
  • Sandwich bags should be used for tea bags
FEMININE HYGIENE KITS

Feminine Hygiene products are always needed but are expensive and difficult for us to purchase. Help ensure we always have shelves stocked with options for guests in the IOCP Food Shelf. Interfaith Outreach is unable to purchase or provide materials for a service project, please plan to purchase or source items on your own.

Each kit should include one or two weeks of products (somewhere between 24 – 35 items):

  • Tampons (in all sizes; Light – Ultra)
  • Maxi Pads (in all sizes; Ultra Thin – Heavy Overnight)

Instructions:

  • Determine how many kits your team/group would like to pack
  • Purchase or source the tampons/pads your group will need to pack along with Ziploc bags (or equivalent product)
    • Kits should include one to two weeks’ worth of products
      • Maxi pad kits need 24 – 35 pads
      • Tampon kits need 28 – 35 tampons
    • Each kit should contain the same items, so one kit = 30 of the same size maxi pads or 30 of the same size tampon. Packing items this way allows families and individuals to choose kits that contain item they need.
  • Purchase enough Ziploc bags (or equivalent product) to pack all kits
    • Kits of pads will most likely need a gallon size Ziploc bag
    • Kits of tampons will need a quart size Ziploc bag
  • Write on your quart or gallon size Ziploc bag product details including:
    • Pad/Tampon size (teen, slender, medium, large)
    • Pad/Tampon absorbency (light, regular, super, super plus, ultra)
  • Place all items into a quart (for packs of tampons) or gallon (for packs of maxi pads) size Ziploc bag and seal tightly. 
HEALTHY SNACKS KITS

Healthy snacks are one of the most requested items in our food shelf and are expensive and difficult for us to purchase. Help ensure we always have shelves stocked with options for guests in the IOCP Food Shelf. Interfaith Outreach is unable to purchase or provide materials for a service project, please plan to purchase or source items on your own.

Each kit should include 6-8 items; below is a list of most requested snacks: 

  • Granola bars
  • Individual packages of crackers, pretzels, popcorn
  • Applesauce or fruit cup (no foil tops please, these tend to puncture easily and make a mess) 
  • Fruit snacks or fruit leather
  • Individual packages of mixed nuts or trail mix

Kits should be packed with 6-8 of the same item; one kit = 8 granola bars OR 7 fruit cups OR 7 individual packages of popcorn. Packing items this way allows families and individuals to choose kits that contain items they will enjoy. 

Place all items into a sandwich, quart, or gallon size Ziploc bag and seal tightly. 

  • Gallon bags should be used for individually packages of crackers, pretzels, popcorn, or fruit cups
  • Quart bags should be used for individual bags of mixed nuts, trail mix, or fruit snacks
  • Sandwich bags should be used for granola bars
INSTANT OATMEAL KITS

Help ensure we always have shelves stocked with options for guests. Interfaith Outreach is unable to purchase or provide materials for a service project, please plan to purchase or source items on your own.

Each kit should include 12 Instant Oatmeal Packets (We recommend packing bags or packs of oatmeal instead of cups because they are easier to pack and take up less space)

Kits should be packed with 12 of the same flavor. Packing items this way allows families and individuals to choose kits that contain items they will enjoy.

One kit = 12 packets of any ONE flavor of oatmeal (e.g. Maple Brown Sugar, Apple Cinnamon, Original flavor, Peaches & Cream, Strawberries & Cream, etc.)

Place all items into a sandwich, quart, or gallon size Ziploc bag and seal tightly. 

Example Items

  • Quaker Variety Pack (Apples & Cinnamon, Maple & Brown Sugar, and Cinnamon & Spice)
  • Quaker Variety Pack (Maple & Brown Sugar, Cinnamon & Spice, Apples & Cinnamon, Peaches & Cream)
  • Quaker Variety Pack (Peaches & Cream, Strawberries & Cream, Blueberries & Cream, Bananas & Cream)
  • Amazon Grocery Traditional Variety Pack (Cinnamon Spice, Maple & Brown Sugar, Apple Cinnamon)
  • Purely Elizabeth Maple Cinnamon Roll
  • Quaker Original
  • Good & Gather Apple Cinnamon

 

LAUNDRY KITS

Laundry detergent is one of the most requested items in our food shelf and also one of the most expensive items for us to purchase. Help ensure we always have shelves stocked with options for guests in the IOCP Food Shelf. Interfaith Outreach is unable to purchase or provide materials for a service project, please plan to purchase or source items on your own.

Each kit should include 20 – 30 laundry detergent pods.

Instructions:

  • Gather enough laundry pods and gallon size Ziploc® bags to pack the desired number of kits.
  • Label each bag with the name of detergent and the scent (or if it is free and clear).
  • Put 20 – 30 laundry pods in each gallon size Ziploc® bags (total number that will fit in each bag may vary depending on the brand).
RAMEN PACKS

Help ensure we always have shelves stocked with options for guests. Interfaith Outreach is unable to purchase or provide materials for a service project. Please plan to purchase or source items on your own.

Each kit should include 5-6 Ramen Bricks (We recommend packing bricks instead of cups because they are easier to pack and take up less space.)

Kits should be packed with 5 of the same flavor;

One kit = 5 packages of one flavor, e.g. Chicken OR Beef OR Chili-flavored Ramen. Packing items this way allows families and individuals to choose kits that contain items they will enjoy.

Place all items into a gallon-size Ziploc bag and seal tightly.

 

Additional Details:

  • Plan to pack kits in boxes that do not need to be returned. Banana boxes – a specific type of box grocery stores often have on hand – make a great container to pack and donate kits in because IOCP can reuse them for our Food Shelf Home Delivery program.
  • Drop off your kits during regular donation hours – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • For large quantities of kits (e.g. a full carload or larger), please complete the Large Donation Drop-Off Form to schedule a drop-off time so our team can be prepared.
  • IOCP is unable to purchase or provide materials for a service project; please plan to purchase or source items on your own.

Contact the IOCP Community Engagement Team with questions at getinvolved@iocp.org.

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