Move-Out Program
PLEASE NOTE THAT FROM MARCH 30-APRIL 10, THE MOVE-OUT PROGRAM WILL BE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED BECAUSE NEITHER DAN NOR LAURA WILL ABE AVAILABLE. WE WILL RESUME PICK-UPS OF DONATIONS AND MOVES AFTER APRIL 10.
Imagine this happy day: after six weeks at the shelter, a guest has worked hard with our Stabilization Manager and just picked up the key to an affordable apartment, which will become her new, and hopefully permanent, home! She’ll be back on her feet.
But the apartment is completely empty. No bed to sleep in. No dresser for clothes. No couch to sit on. No table or dishes. Nothing. Her funds are limited after paying security and first month’s rent, and she has no vehicle.
That’s where the Move-Out Program comes in. The mission of the program is to work with case managers at LCS and partner agencies in order to provide basic furniture to individuals and families exiting homelessness within Douglas County.
It is difficult for those of us who have never been without a home to grasp just how hard it is to exit homelessness. By furnishing apartments, we remove one barrier.
Our volunteer Move-Out Coordinators work with shelter staff, case managers at all of our partner agencies, and donors like you to make sure that no individual or family exiting homelessness in Lawrence needs to move into a new apartment without the basics: bed(s), dresser(s), a couch, a table and chairs, a kitchen starter set. (And more, when possible.)
When an individual or family is getting ready to move into an apartment, we come up with a list of needs together, coordinate a time for the delivery, load one (or more) of our pickup trucks at the warehouse, arrive as scheduled, and complete the move. Within an hour or two, an empty apartment looks and feels like a home.
If you are a case manager at LCS or a partner agency, please complete the form under the CASE MANAGERS tab on this page.
If you would like to donate furniture and/or other household items, please consult the list under the CURRENT NEEDS tab and then complete the form under the DONATIONS tab!
Ordinarily, you can expect to hear back within three days, although occasionally it might take a day or so more. (The program is coordinated entirely by two volunteers, Laura and Dan.)
During the COVID-19 crisis, we have been proceeding cautiously and safely. If you wish us to, we are absolutely happy to wear masks while indoors. Please just let us know.
We rely entirely on your generosity. Because our warehouse space is limited, we are only able to accept the specific items listed under the CURRENT NEEDS tab on this page. If you have signed up for our mailing list, you will receive occasional emails updating you about our work and our needs! Or please feel free to monitor this page, which is updated regularly.
If you’d like to join our mailing list and receive occasional emails from us, please use the form under the MAILING LIST tab to sign up! And feel free to contact us here.
If you’d like to learn more, or if you have a truck and think you might be interested in serving as a volunteer Move-Out Coordinator, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Dan at danw@lawrenceshelter.org!
We are only able to accept the specific items listed below.
But please check back because our needs change — and this page gets updated — regularly.
If you have any of the following to donate, please complete the form under the DONATIONS tab above, and one of us will be in touch right away (ordinarily within three days) to arrange the pick-up.
We are unable to accept any king-size mattresses, futons / futon couches, or heavy foam mattresses.
Please note: unusually heavy items (such as sofa beds and recliner couches) pose logistical challenges for us in the warehouse, where stocks frequently need to get rearranged, and for guests, who may often be moving again in the near future.
This page will be updated as our needs change!
Current, specific needs:
- Mattresses (full and queen; please note, we can only take twin mattresses at present if they come with a twin box spring; nothing unusually heavy, please)
- Box springs (twin, full, and queen)
- Fully adjustable metal bed frames, adjustable to twin, full, or queen (please confirm your frame is adjustable to all three sizes, not just twin and full), with no moving parts or screws, and with no parts (castors, etc.) missing — like this (please note, this is the only kind of bed frame that we can accept: we cannot take frames with rails, headboards, footboards, etc.)
- Fitted sheets (twin, full, and queen, with size labeled, please)
- Couches and love seats
- Dressers
- Recliners and comfy arm chairs
- Dining room / kitchen tables and chairs (we can always use small kitchen tables!))
- Coffee tables
- Side / end tables and nightstands
- Countertop microwaves
- Flat-screen TVs (digital compatible and not too heavy, please)
- Pots and pans (especially skillets)
We do not accept financial donations — we encourage you to consider donating to the shelter!
PLEASE NOTE THAT FROM MARCH 30-APRIL 10, THE MOVE-OUT PROGRAM WILL BE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED BECAUSE NEITHER DAN NOR LAURA WILL ABE AVAILABLE. WE WILL RESUME PICK-UPS OF DONATIONS AFTER APRIL 10.
We are only able to accept the specific items listed under the CURRENT NEEDS tab above.
After consulting our list of CURRENT NEEDS, please complete this form, and one of us will be in touch within three days (occasionally it might take a day or so more) to arrange the pick-up!
PLEASE NOTE THAT FROM MARCH 30-APRIL 10, THE MOVE-OUT PROGRAM WILL BE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED BECAUSE NEITHER DAN NOR LAURA WILL ABE AVAILABLE. WE WILL RESUME SERVICES ON BEHALF OF CLIENTS AFTER APRIL 10.
If you are a case manager in Lawrence and would like the Move-Out Program to furnish a new apartment for a client exiting homelessness, please complete as much of this form as you can. (We respect privacy concerns: all fields requesting client information are optional.)
As soon as we receive your form, we will be in touch by email within 5 days at the very most to discuss safety and health procedures and to arrange a time for Dan, Laura, and/or Will to bring the items to the new apartment.