There are many ways you can donate to support our program, including making financial contributions, and contributing clothing and household items.

Financially Support the Work We Do

Donate online (Please be sure to designate your donation to Refugee and Immigration Services)

Checks may be mailed to Catholic Charities Maine Central Office at PO Box 10660, Portland, ME 04104-6060, with Refugee and Immigration Services (RIS) noted in the Check’s memo line.

Other Ways to Help

New arrivals are always delighted to receive Gift Cards to Walmart, Hannaford, and other grocery stores so they can pick out specifically what their home and their families need.  

Please Mail Gift Cards to:
Catholic Charities Maine 
Attn: Development Office 
PO Box 10660 
Portland, ME 04104

*Please include your name and address if you wish to receive a receipt for tax purposes.

Gifts In-Kind

CCM RIS has served thousands of refugees from all cultures and backgrounds. Often, refugees leave their home countries with very little. In some cases, they are not equipped with appropriate clothes for Maine weather. Your in-kind donations support refugee and immigrant families as they start their new lives in Maine. Our deepest gratitude to all our generous donors for thinking of new Mainers!

After a pause in donations due to COVID, we are pleased to introduce new in-kind donation guidelines focusing on the specific items currently needed by our clients. We appreciate and can only accept new and gently used clothing that is clean, and without stains, rips, or broken zippers. Our needs will change periodically, so please check this page often.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BACKPACK DRIVE:

We are in need of about a dozen backpacks, (new or used in very good condition) for high school kids, both boys and girls. We have plenty of backpacks for younger kids. 

For supplies, we need:

• Pocket folders
• Notebooks
• Rulers
• Colored pencils
• Pencil cases for both elementary and high school kids
• Small scissors
• Markers - regular and washable
• 3 ring binders
• Filler paper
• Calculators - simple or complex, used is OK
• Water bottles - new preferred but we can take used

We have plenty of the following and DO NOT need more:

• pencils
• erasers
• pencil sharpeners
• pens
• colored paper
• crayons
• glue sticks

Thanks to all our generous donors. You will be lighting up the faces of lots of new children. 

Additionally, we need...

All Adults:

• New underwear
• New socks
• Fleece
• Pants/slacks/jeans
• Clean shoes & winter boots (please put through your washing machine first)

Men only:                                                           

• Winter jackets especially Small & Medium     
• Light weight jackets                                             
• Sweatshirts, sweaters                                         
• T-shirts & collared shirts
• Pants/Jeans/summer shorts

Women only:

• T-shirts & modest blouses
• Floor length skirts
• Light-weight head scarves

Children:  newborn through size 18

• All new and gently used clothing, including clean boots & shoes
• We are especially in need of boys’ clothing right now, sizes 4T and 5T.
• Baby blankets & bibs
• New socks for infants & toddlers

Personal Hygiene: deodorant, toothbrushes & paste, soap, Vaseline, Hand/body lotion, toilet paper, feminine hygiene pads, (no tampons), diapers & wipes, disposable razors.

Due to storage limitations at our Office, we are NOT currently accepting furniture and household items.

• If you want to donate furniture, please reach out to Furniture Friends. info@furniturefriends.org.
• If you want to donate household items, consider reaching out to Maine Needs INFO@MAINENEEDS.ORG and https://www.maineneeds.org

Both programs are strong partners in refugee resettlement and supporting people in need.