FAQ
1. What is a Welcome Home Box?
- A welcome Home Box is a box of essential items needed to turn an empty apartment into a sustainable home for someone getting out of homelessness. It starts as an empty box provided by GoBe and ends up being filled with the items on our Get Involved page. These items are the every day essentials many of us take for granted, but really make a new home functional.
2. How much does a Welcome Home Box cost on average?
- A Welcome Home Box costs on average $200, if you were to buy everything full price at Target. If you are looking to cut down on the cost of a box, you can search for deals on Amazon, and at stores like Ikea and Big Lots. We do ask that when shopping you keep quality in mind, as we are not only providing essential needs, but also a sense of ownership and dignity. The best way to tell if the item makes the cut is to ask yourself if you would use it in your own home!
3. Do all items in a box need to be purchased new?
- Yes. We ask that all items are purchased new. This is to ensure when the newly housed person opens their box they are reminded that they matter, something brand new belongs to them, and the community around them truly cares. This sense of dignity and ownership is part of what makes a GoBe Box so special.
4. How long should I give my community to fill Welcome
Home Boxes?
- If organizing a larger community, we recommend giving people three weeks to fill a box and return it to your church or drop off site.
5. Who decides how the Welcome Home Boxes are distributed?
- We leave this in the hands of our trusted partners. GoBe is careful who we choose to partner with and maintain full confidence in our partners to distribute the boxes to people who truly need them. One of the greatest benefits of working with city wide partners is that we know each tenant receiving a box is also assigned a case worker, and is receiving wrap around services such as help with food stamps, employment, and healthcare.
6. Does GoBe take item donations that are NOT complete
Welcome Home Boxes?
- No. Unfortunately, at this time we cannot accept any item donations that are not complete GoBe Boxes. We do not currently have storage for such items but we recommend if you have furniture or larger household items to donate, that you reach out to AMVets! They do incredible work with our nation's veterans and have worked closely with GoBe in the past! Click on the the AmVets link to schedule a pickup.
7. How do I arrange to get FREE Welcome Home Boxes?
- To arrange a drop-off or pickup of your Free Welcome Home Boxes and start making a difference, simply visit our contact page and fill out the form, or email Lindsey Gonzales directly at lindsey@gobethe1.com. Thank you!
* If you have any additional questions please reach out to us using our contact page. We would love to answer any questions you may still have, or help you think through the best ways to organize your particular community!
