6th Annual Refugee Household Kit Drive
Gallatin Refugee Connections (GRC), in cooperation with Soft Landing Missoula and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), is sponsoring a collection drive to help refugee families start their new lives in Missoula.
Most refugees arrive with next to nothing—sometimes just the clothes on their backs. Soft Landing and IRC give them a start, and the people of Gallatin Valley can help! On Saturday, April 1, 2023 volunteers will meet at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 2118 S. 3rd, in Bozeman, to assemble kits for each room in the house. The kits will be packed and loaded for delivery to Missoula IRC that same weekend. Last year we delivered over 400 kits!
Following the kit packing event, at 6:00pm, Mary Poole, founder and Executive Director of Soft Landing Missoula will be speaking at Wild Joe’s Coffee Spot on the topic “The Ways We Welcome: Resettlement in Montana and the expanding possibilities for welcoming refugees”.
Join Us!
Household items organized by room help families get started in their new lives and accelerate their integration into the community.
- Learn what refugees really need. Check out these room kit lists.
- Share this opportunity. Get the word out to your neighbors, workplace or church using this printable flyer.
- Join our volunteer crew. Register to volunteer packing kits by filling out this online form. If you’re interested in organizing ahead of the event by recruiting in kind donations (e.g. volunteer t-shirts, food, appreciation), or promoting this event in our community, contact Marty Albini at marty.albini@gmail.com.
- Drop off your donations at Pilgrim Congregational Church from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm April 1st, or BEFORE that date at Collection Points (latest list here). If your church or organization is not a collection point, contact us at gallatinrefugees@gmail.com, or call 406-209-0971 to learn how to become one.
You can help! Team up with friends to donate an entire room kit, or just donate an item or two. All donations are tax deductible. If you can’t join us on Saturday, or don’t have time to shop, then consider a cash donation to GRC or any of our partner organizations listed here.
Special Guest
After the kit packing event, Mary Poole, founder and executive director of Soft Landing in Missoula, will speak at Wild Joe’s on April 1st from 6 to 7 pm. Her topic will be “The Ways We Welcome: Resettlement in Montana and the expanding possibilities for welcoming refugees.”
Donations to GRC fund kit packing day, provide ongoing advocacy and education in support of refugee resettlement in Montana. GRC is a 501c3 organization.