Gift of the Heart kits are an excellent hands-on project for youth groups, Presbyterian Women and others who want a tangible way to be involved. School Kits and Hygiene Kits are often the most in demand.

Packaging and mailing

Visit the CWS website for resources such as shopping lists, reports, stories and more.

 

A note from Church World Service regarding Baby Kits: Thank you for your support of the CWS Baby Care Kit program. After careful evaluation with CWS program partners and other agencies that had previously received the baby care kits, a decision was made to discontinue the use of baby care kits starting on January 1, 2016. Changes in program directions have helped to guide this change. We are thankful for your years of previous support of these programs. Your work has benefited many families around the world. 

A note regarding processing fees: Shipping of the kits to their final destination is expensive. Costs include renting space on trucks, boats and planes, paying for gas, for the insurance of each shipment and for other delivery fees. We ask that our donors help cover a small amount of this cost. 

To donate your processing fees, please either donate online here or mail a check made payable to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) with DR000151 on the memo line and mail to:

Presbyterian Church (USA)
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA  15264-3700


Cleanup Bucket

blue buckets filled with cleaning supplies

Photo by Kathy Broyard, PDA NRT

(Value $75, recommended $3 processing fee per bucket)

1 — 5-gallon bucket with resealable lid*

4 — scouring pads

7 — sponges, assorted sizes

1 — scrub brush

1 — pkg. cleaning towels (18 reusable, like Easy Wipes®)

1 — 50 oz. or two 25 oz. bottle(s) of liquid laundry detergent

1 — liquid concentrated household cleaner (like Lysol®), 12 oz.

1 — bottle liquid disinfectant dish soap (like Dawn®), 24-28 oz.

1 — 1 pkg. clothespins, 48-50 

1 — Clothesline, two 50 ft. or one 100 ft.

5 — dust masks

2 pair — heavy-duty, waterproof dishwashing gloves (latex-free, non-surgical)

1 pair — work gloves

1 — 24 to 28 count roll heavy-duty trash bags (30-45 gallon, remove from carton)

1 — bottle insect repellant (pump, drops or lotion; not aerosol), 6-9 oz.

Please purchase all liquids in plastic bottles. Send only new, unopened materials. Put all items in the plastic bucket, packed securely to avoid damage during shipment, and seal lid with packing tape.

*Some local fast-food restaurants are willing to give pickle buckets (or other 5-gallon buckets with re-sealable lids) or offer them for a small fee. These can be washed out and used for the cleanup buckets.

**If you have 36 or more buckets and are looking for transportation options, Ferncliff has a discount with Fed Ex Freight. You can email Ruth@ferncliff.org to see how your church might get their discount on to your shipment.

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Hygiene Kit

mother washes child with soap

Photo by Paul Jeffrey, ACT

(Value $15, recommended $2 processing fee per kit)

1 — hand towel (approximately 16" x 28", no fingertip or bath towels)

1 — washcloth

1 — wide-tooth comb (remove from package)

1 — nail clipper (UPDATE: nail clippers with metal files or emery boards attached are now accepted; remove from package)

1 — bar of soap (bath size in wrapper)

1 — toothbrush (in original packaging)

10 — Band-Aids® or other adhesive bandage strips

Please do not add toothpaste to the Hygiene Kit. Toothpaste which has an extended expiration date will be added to international Hygiene Kit shipments just prior to shipment. Seal all items in a one-gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure.

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School Kit

Syrian school children with school supplies

Photo by CWS

(Value $15, recommended $2 processing fee per kit)

1 — pair of blunt scissors (rounded tip)

3 — 70-count spiral notebooks or tape-bound pads of 8" x 10 1/2" ruled paper or pads with 200-210 sheets of ruled paper. Do not include filler paper.

1 — 30-centimeter ruler (12")

1 — hand-held pencil sharpener

6 — new pencils with erasers

1 — large eraser

1 — box of 24 crayons

1 — cloth bag, 12" x 14" to 14" x 17" finished size cotton cloth bag with cloth handles; pattern available.  (Please, do not use reusable shopping bags or backpacks.)

Pack all items in the cloth bag.  

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Welcome backpacks

When neighbors around the world are forced to leave their homes and begin a new life in various parts of the U.S., they often travel with few material possessions. Welcome Backpacks is how we ensure our newly arriving neighbors have essentials like food, water, blankets, hygiene items and a warm welcome home.

Value $75, $3 per backpack recommended processing fee

  • Backpack – 17″
  • All-season blanket – 50″ x 60″
  • Coloring book
  • Crayons – 24 pack
  • 2 pads of paper – 8.5″ x 11″
  • 3 pens
  • 1 two-pocket folder
  • 5 fruit leather strips
  • 4 protein bars
  • 10 granola bars
  • 6 fruit & grain bars
  • 4 trail mix pouches – 1.75 oz
  • 1 reusable travel water bottle – 24 oz
  • 2 bottles hand sanitizer – 2 oz
  • 1 Chapstick
  • 10 hair ties
  • 1 small travel hairbrush
  • 4 toothpaste/toothbrush packs
  • 3 packs of tissues
  • 10 disposable masks
  • 1 travel deodorant
  • 10 tampons
  • 10 sanitary napkins
  • 1 pack of cleaning/baby wipes

Period packs

In many parts of the world, people who menstruate live in period poverty – lacking access to necessary period care supplies. During the menstrual cycle, these hygiene materials are especially important to healthy practices. Not having supplies like sanitary napkins, tampons, soap and disposable plastic bags can create challenges that lead to unsafe and unsanitary conditions.

Now you can help people who menstruate living in period poverty. The CWS Period Pack provides the essentials they need to feel clean, be healthy and live with dignity during the menstrual cycle.

Value $25, $2 per pack recommended processing fee

  • One 1-gallon size re-sealable bag
  • Two 2oz bottle hand sanitizer
  • Three 4-gallon bathroom trash bags
  • One travel pack of wet ones
  • 10 Tampons (Unscented. 5 regular, 5 super absorbency.)
  • 10 Sanitary Napkins (Unscented. Long super ultra-thin.)
  • Bath-size soap (3 oz. bar or larger. No Ivory or Jergen’s soap. Do not remove from packaging.)
  • One pack of flushable wipes (Unscented. 42 count)
  • Six fragrance-free laundry sheets (placed in small, Ziploc bags)

Assembly Tips

  • Place all items in the plastic bag, remove air, and seal.
  • All items must be new.
  • Do not enclose personal notes, money, or extra items in the kits.

Packing and Sending "Gift of the Heart" Kits

  • Complete Kits should be packed in boxes with only one type of Kit in each box. However, if you are shipping a small number of different kinds of Kits, they can be combined in one box.
  • Clearly mark the outside of the box with the contents.
  • Complete the mailing form and place it inside the top of your box before sealing it. This will provide the name and address of your group sending the kits for the CWS receiving site, and it gives information about how to share your story with PDA.
  • Secure the boxes with packing tape.

Ship all kits prepaid to one of the following:

Ferncliff Disaster Assistance Center
1720 Ferncliff Road
Little Rock, AR 72223
(501) 821-3063 or (866) 732-6121

OR

Church World Service
Brethren Service Center Annex
601 Main Street
New Windsor, MD 21776-0188
(410) 635-8794

OR

Find additional drop-off locations for kits.  It is important to call ahead.

Please Note: Some groups prefer to take a special offering to support a project. The value for each type of kit is given so you or your group can financially support purchase of kit contents. Checks made out to Presbyterian Church (USA) and marked with “Gift of the Heart – DR000151” can be mailed to:
Presbyterian Church (USA)
PO Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

**If you have 36 or more buckets and are looking for transportation options, Ferncliff has a discount with Fed Ex Freight.  You can email Ruth (ruth@ferncliff.org) to see how your church might get their discount on to your shipment.

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Photos on this page: cleanup buckets by Kathy Broyard; hygiene kit by Paul Jeffrey/ACT; school kits by Church World Service

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