HOW TO HELP

Here are ways you can help during the coronavirus pandemic:

• House of Bread has temporarily halted the use of volunteers but is collecting items for donation. Items of the most need are peanut butter, bread, milk, fruit cups, rice, pasta, baby wipes and diapers in sizes 3, 4, 5 and 6. For more information go to houseofbread.org/how-to-help-during-pandemic.

• Dayton Foundation has set up a COVID-19 Response Fund which will distribute all proceeds to vetted nonprofit organizations. To donate visit daytonfoundation.org/covideresponsefund-how-to-give.html.

• YWCA Dayton has an Amazon Wish List for needs set up through Amazon Smile at ywcadayton.org/wishlist. YWCA is also taking financial donations at ywcadayton.org/donate and is asking for the community to send encouraging messages to residents, clients and staff. Send a message by mail to YWCA Dayton with attention to communications, 141 W. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402 or email to communications@ywcadayton.org.

• Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association is looking for homemade masks and related supplies. Donations can be dropped off at St. Vincent de Paul, 945 S. Edwin C. Moses Dr. on Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations should be delivered in plastic bags no larger than 13 gallons. For more information, including instructions on assembling masks, visit gdaha.org/1674-2/.

• St. Vincent de Paul is in need of homemade masks, twin sheets, bath towels and wash cloths along with several other items. For a full list of primary needs visit stvincentdayton.org/about-covid-19. Items can be donated to St. Vincent at 120 W. Apple St. or you can purchase through Amazon and ship items to 120 W. Apple St., Dayton, Ohio 45402. The donation center is open 24 hours every day. If you wish to volunteer with St. Vincent, they ask that all volunteers be healthy and not members of a higher-risk group for coronavirus. To volunteer, call 937-222-5555, ext. 103.

• Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley hosts food pantries and runs several other assistance programs throughout the area. The CSSMV has a need for financial aid, along with size 4 and 5 diapers. For financial aid and donations contact Mike Lehner at 937-223-7217 ext. 1142 or email lehnerm@ccsmv.org. You may also make financial gifts online at cssmv.org. For volunteer opportunities contact Mike Hoendorf at 937-223-7217 ext. 1141 or email hoendorfm@cssmv.org. All volunteers must be between 18-50 years old and free of all symptoms.

• Homefull is looking for monetary donations and cleaning supplies. Donations can be shipped to 829 South Gettysburg Ave. or you can make a gift online by going to homefull.org/get-involved/give-money/.

• Dayton Mall is running a food and essential item donation drive. Residents can drop off non-perishable food items and other essentials such as toilet paper, diapers, soap, school supplies and dog and cat food in designated bins at the Dayton Mall to the right of Designer Shoe Warehouse on the Ohio 725 side of the mall. The drive will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday until further notice. Items will be distributed among several area non-profit organizations including For Love of Children, Shoes for the Shoeless, Crayons to Classrooms, Centerville City Schools, No Child Hungry, House of Bread and the Humane Society of Greater Dayton.

• Premier Health is accepting donations of supplies and equipment, food and financial support. Premier is in biggest need of surgical gowns, face masks, gloves, respirators, isolation gowns, thermometers, foot coverings and ventilator tubing. Contact helpinghands@premierhealth.com to offer supplies and other assistance. If you wish to donate food to health-care workers, please email your company name, contact name and availability date to helpinghands@premierhealth.com. Premier asks that donations are not dropped off directly at hospital entrances, emergency departments or physician office locations. They will accept pre-packaged foods that are easy to eat on the go. The health network is not able to accept donations of homemade food. You can donate to Premier Health via their website, www.premierhealth.com.

• The Foodbank is currently doing a drive-through only pantry at 56 Armor Place in Dayton. The organization is also not accepting food donations from the public for the time being, but is seeking cash donations. Monetary donations can be made at the Food Bank's website, thefoodbankdayton.org.

• Dayton Children's is sending cards to kids because visitors are limited due to the coronavirus. To send a rainbow card to a child being treated at Dayton Children's, visit their website, childrensdayton.org/patientcards.

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