Faq

Donating Products

  • All items must be new. We accept the following full and travel-size items:

    • Soap

    • Body wash

    • Razors

    • Shaving cream

    • Shampoo

    • Conditioner

    • Deodorant

    • Toothpaste

    • Toothbrushes

    • All varieties of period products

    • Hand sanitizer

    • Lotion

    To respect the integrity of the individuals receiving of our donations and to keep our operations running efficient, we kindly ask our donors to ensure their donations meet the following guidelines: Toiletries have never been used (not even just a little), bottles are not leaking or damaged, and all donations are in good, usable condition.

  • Amenity Aid is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 4pm to accept donations. Please do not leave items unattended by our front door. Amenity Aid does not currently offer a donation bin. You can mail items to our address: 33 Plan Way, Building 3B Warwick, RI 02886.

  • Donations are accepted in our office, 33 Plan Way Building 3B Warwick, RI 02886, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-4.

  • As long as each individual item is sealed or wrapped, we can accept open boxes of period products.

  • Unfortunately, we do not accept adult incontinence items at this time. The Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center in Newport, RI is always willing to accept these items.

  • We hate waste, and we understand the desire to donate pricey beauty products that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Amenity Aid does not accept makeup products at this time, but we recommend sending unused (or barely used) beauty donations to Project Beauty Share®.

  • To ensure we maintain the highest standard of quality for our clients and safety reasons, we cannot accept open toiletry products.

  • Yes, as long as they are unused.

  • Yes, as long as they are unused.

  • Amenity Aid does not provide donation pick up services for individuals or businesses.

  • We recommend inquiring about donating these items with your local food pantry, community center, homeless shelter, or domestic violence advocacy group. Demand for these items varies. Please know that we only track demand for hygiene products and cannot provide further information.

  • No, We do not accept clothing donations.

  • No, we only accept new amenities.

  • We accept travel-size bottles of hand sanitizer. Our distribution partners have told us full-size bottles are not popular with their clients.

  • You can mail them to us at 33 Plan Way Building 3B, Warwick RI 02886.

  • We accept all period supplies, including (pads, tampons, period underwear, menstrual cups, and more).

  • We did our homework and talked to dentists. Expired toothpaste is acceptable because, unlike food, it doesn't go bad or pose any danger. Although it loses effectiveness as its ingredients (like fluoride) break down over time, it remains safe to use beyond the expiration date.

    Please note that toothpaste tubes must have a protective seal under the cap or be sealed in an opened box.

Product Requests

  • To qualify to receive soap (and other hygiene products as they are available) through our monthly Soap Distribution Days and Muffins + Monthlies event, your organization must meet a few criteria:

    Your organization must directly serve those in need. (We do not provide product donations to individuals or groups that source products to donate to a social service agency.)

    Your organization must be located in Rhode Island and serve people in our state.

    Your organization must send a staff member or volunteer to attend a virtual information session with our staff to learn more about our guidelines for participating.

    To get started, complete our online form, tell us about your organization, and schedule your meeting with our staff.

    You can learn more information here.

  • We do not provide donations to individuals. Contact United Way's 211 to learn about resources that can help.

  • Rhode Island-based schools qualify to receive soap (and other hygiene products as they are available) through our monthly Soap Distribution Days and Muffins + Monthlies event., your organization must meet the following criteria:

    Your organization must send a staff member or volunteer to attend a virtual information session with our staff to learn more about our guidelines for participating.

    To get started, complete our online form, tell us about your organization, and schedule your meeting with our staff.

Volunteering

  • Current public volunteer opportunities are held once a month. These events are scheduled on Tuesdays & Thursdays between the hours of 10am and 4pm. Learn more here.

  • Amenity Aid does not currently offer volunteer opportunities on weekends and weeknights.

  • At this time we do not offer volunteer opportunities outside of school hours. We do offer family volunteer opportunities every other month. Learn more here.

  • Amenity Aid currently offers the following group volunteer opportunities:

    Host a Hygiene Drive

    Period Packing Parties

  • Please reach out to our board president James Rajotte. You can reach him at James@amenityaid.org.

  • Amenity Aid does offer internships. Please follow this link for current opportunities.

Data and Statistics

  • 46-2347536

  • As a member of the Alliance for Period Supplies we receive updated data through sources offered through their website.

  • Our research comes from the Rhode Island Food Bank survey. As Andrew Schiff from the Rhode Island Community Food Bank shared with us recently about the importance of our work, “If you’re food insecure and can’t afford adequate food, it’s very likely that you face the same challenges in accessing essential hygiene products.”

Hosting a Collection Drive

  • Please follow this link for more information on hosting an Amenity Aid collection drive.

  • Yes, effective March 12, 2013, Amenity Aid is recognized by the IRS as a public charity. Is my contribution tax-deductible? All donations to Amenity Aid are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

  • We currently support organizations in Rhode Island only.

  • No, we are not affiliated with any religious institution.