UPDATE 11/24: Brian suggested on Monday's Unverified Voracity that we get a Paypal account so you can donate directly. We do accept $$$, but for legalese reasons we much prefer in-kind donations, i.e., buy a gift.

An easy way to do this:

Buy it from Amazon.com

(if you use the link above you will give Brian credit for it),

and have it shipped to:

Mitch Albom Christmas Party
c/o Salvation Army/Booth Services
3737 Humboldt
Detroit, MI  48208

E-mail us the tracking info if you can.

Make sure it is unwrapped.

If you or your organization just want to give an online donation and be done with it, donate to S.A.Y. Detroit: https://drmm.org/donate1.htm

This qualify as a 501(c)3 organization for tax receipts.

It's Mitch's organization, which we can access directly for this event.

Also: Your best e-mail contact for any questions is to e-mail timetohelpmitch@gmail.com. You will get Nancy Welber Barr, who was V.I.'s president, and is organizing the Booth Shelter Party (the one Mitch will be at). You can e-mail me, too, if you like.

/Update
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Hi, I'm Misopogon.

You may know me from such incredibly long diaries such as The Decimated Defense, Data-Mining the HenneChart, and pre-OSU, Hamlet-inspired emo.

This is not one such diary. Rather it is attempt to trade in my good will and MGoPoints, such as they are, for some srsly help with a community service project now and up to the morning of Saturday, Dec. 5.

What U Talkin Bout?

The event is called "Adopt-a-Shelter."

and

This is a community service thing that I do every year to bring some holiday cheer to homeless kids. It used to be a signature event of Volunteer Impact.

Mitch Albom's Time to Help organization runs one of the shelters. He will be there, operating as a kind of Master of Ceremonies. Misopogal will be there, operating as a kind of Master of the Arts&Crafts and Cookie Decoration operation. I will be there, operating as "oooohhhh are you [Misopogal]'s BOY-FRIEND?"

We basically go to several homeless shelters in Detroit and give the kids there a Christmas party, complete with Santa, face-painting, pizza and cake, activities, and -- here's the operative part -- gifts.
 

Ah, a Point Emerges...

The gifts are all donations from Not-Living-In-a-Homeless-Shelter Metro-Detroiters and businesses. They're small gifts -- like $15 things.

They are new and unwrapped

The way it works is the parents go "shopping" for their kids' gifts while we keep the tykes distracted with face painting, and pizza, and dancing, and a short, jolly, obese, bearded elf in a red suit.

You also can just donate like $15 bucks, and that'll go directly into the big Toys R Us run. If you wanna do that, get it in to Julie Kroflich (248) 478-5168 before Nov. 30.
 

What Kind of Gifts?

Well, first of all, things that are NOT guns, swords, violent comic books, etc. No perfume, cologne, body sprays or mouthwash, or anything else containing alcohol of any sort. No nail files or any other sharp items. Nothing with stickers.

Second, they have to be new, still in the packaging.

If you have any used strollers in good condition, they would be most welcome for the new moms who often don't have the resources to buy a stroller and must constantly hold their babies. Strollers are in addition to needing gifts to stock the "store."

Michigan apparel is totally cool. You will probably make some kid blue for life.

If you've got a gift, contact Julie Kroflich -- (248) 478-5168.

As for suggestions, this being MGoBlog and all, I think that might best be shown in a ..

data table?

data table.
 

Update 11/25: Age Spread of Current Residents:

I got numbers on the ages of the kids who will be at the shelter, so you can decide for yourself what target to hit:

So lots and lots of toddlers and infants. Very short on boys +10 (which sucks because we just got a lot of cool t-shirts). Teenage girl gifts are in short supply.
 

Okay, What Do I Do With It?

Contact Julie Kroflich -- (248) 478-5168.

OR -- you can bring it down yourself to the:

Booth Evangeline Shelter
3737 Humboldt
Detroit, MI 48208

Walk in and say it's for the "Adopt-a-Shelter" party on Dec. 5.

Is That All?

We also could use stuff donations: This is like, say, if you own a pizza joint and can donate pizza for 200 people, or orange juice/donuts/bagels for 200 people. Or cream cheese.

Or balloons, game prizes, arts&crafts stuff.

One year we had a Saturn Dealership give us 50 empty popcorn boxes (don't ask), and they were awesome. Another year we had paper crowns from a certain restaurant chain that kids decorated. You know what schlock you got.

We have the forms if you want tax receipts for the donations.

Or if you're a videographer, and could record and edit to create like a 3-5 minute video. Chances are it would be put on Mitch's Albom's website.

Volunteers: The Genesis II House (the not Mitch Albom one) still needs like four more solid volunteers. The Booth Evangeline Shelter could use more still I think. I will update as I get more info.

The gifts are what we need most right now.

If you can help, call Julie Kroflich at (248) 478-5168. You can also e-mail me, or Mitch's organization at timetohelpmitch@gmail.

Happy Holidays, and Go Blue!