Program Overview

The Items for Hours Program was originally created during the COVID-19 pandemic when traditional volunteer opportunities were limited due to health and safety restrictions. Providence House recognized that many individuals still needed community service or volunteer hours for school, church, employment programs, scholarships, court-approved programs, and other requirements.

To address this need while continuing to support families experiencing homelessness, Providence House developed an alternative service option that allows participants to earn volunteer or community service hours through the donation of much-needed program, household, facility, and operational supplies.

What began as a temporary solution has evolved into an ongoing program that helps Providence House meet changing organizational needs while providing participants with a flexible alternative for completing eligible service hours.

How the Program Works Today

The Items for Hours Program allows approved participants to earn volunteer or community service hours by purchasing and donating requested items that support Providence House programs, operations, residents, and organizational needs.

Participation must be approved by Providence House, and participants are responsible for confirming that this type of service is accepted by the school, church, court, employer, agency, scholarship program, or other organization requiring their hours.

Standard Participation Guideline

As a general guideline:

10 VOLUNTEER HOURS = APPROXIMATELY $100 WORTH OF APPROVED ITEMS

The value of requested items may vary depending on Providence House’s current needs. In some circumstances, the required donation amount may be less or otherwise adjusted. The guideline above serves as the standard benchmark used by Providence House and should not be interpreted as a guaranteed or permanent conversion rate.

All item values, hour allocations, program guidelines, and participation requirements are subject to change based on organizational needs and priorities.

Participants should receive approval before making purchases to ensure that items are eligible for service-hour credit.

Current Supply List Process

Providence House primarily utilizes an Amazon Wish List to manage requested items and help ensure donations correspond with current organizational needs.

Participants will generally be directed to purchase items from the Amazon Wish List unless:

• An alternative retailer is requested by the participant.

• An item is unavailable through Amazon.

• A participant is unable to locate or access a requested item through Amazon.

• Providence House determines that another purchasing option is more appropriate.

• Providence House identifies a specific need that is not currently reflected on the Amazon Wish List.

Any exceptions or alternative purchasing arrangements must be communicated to and approved by the Item For Hours team before purchases are made.

Participants should not rely on previously distributed supply lists, screenshots, emails, or other older versions of requested items unless Providence House confirms that the information is still current.

Requesting a Current Supply List

Because the needs of Providence House and the families we serve can change frequently, previously distributed supply lists are no longer considered current unless confirmed by Providence House.

Participants must request the current supply list before making purchases.

Contact

Email: IFH@theprovidencehouse.com
Phone: (318) 221-7887, Ext. 119

The supply list provided will reflect Providence House’s needs at the time of the request.

Requested items may support areas including:

• Family Shelter Operations

• Child Development Center

• Resident Services

• Workforce Development

• Administrative Functions

• Facility Operations

• Family Transition and Move-Out Needs

• Other Current Program or Organizational Needs

Because needs change throughout the year, requested items may vary significantly from one participant or time period to another.

Flexible Purchasing Option

Providence House understands that participants may not always be able to purchase all requested items at one time.

With prior approval, participants may be permitted to complete their item donations through multiple purchases or over multiple pay periods.

Examples may include:

• Purchasing a portion of the approved items one week and completing the remaining items at a later date.

• Dividing approved purchases across multiple pay periods.

• Completing an approved donation requirement in agreed-upon stages.

Participants who need a staggered purchasing arrangement should discuss it with Providence House before making purchases.

Approval of staggered purchasing is at the discretion of Providence House and may vary based on organizational needs, the requested items, and individual participant circumstances.

Service-hour documentation may be withheld until the participant has completed the agreed-upon donation requirement.

Participant Responsibilities

Participants are responsible for:

• Confirming that the Items for Hours Program is accepted by the school, church, court, employer, agency, scholarship program, or other organization requiring their service hours.

• Requesting the current supply list before making purchases.

• Obtaining approval for any substitutions, alternative retailers, or purchasing arrangements before making those purchases.

• Purchasing only items approved by Providence House for the Items for Hours Program.

• Following all instructions provided by Providence House staff.

• Maintaining receipts, order confirmations, or other documentation when requested.

• Providing accurate information regarding the number of service hours being requested.

• Completing any required Providence House forms or documentation associated with the program.

Providence House cannot guarantee that an outside organization will accept service hours earned through the Items for Hours Program.

Participants should obtain approval from the organization requiring their hours before participating when there is any question regarding eligibility.

Donation and Service-Hour Documentation

Donated items must be received, verified, or otherwise confirmed by Providence House before corresponding service hours are considered complete.

Providence House reserves the right to request receipts, order confirmations, proof of purchase, or other documentation necessary to verify donated items and their value.

Service-hour documentation will be based on the approved arrangement between the participant and Providence House and may not necessarily correspond directly with retail price, sale price, or a participant’s independently calculated value of donated items.

Once donated items have been accepted by Providence House and credited toward service hours, donations are considered final and non-returnable.

Service-hour forms, verification letters, or other documentation will only reflect hours approved and verified by Providence House.

Program Disclaimer

The Items for Hours Program exists to support the current operational, programmatic, and community needs of Providence House while providing an alternative service opportunity for approved participants.

All items donated through the Items for Hours Program become the property of Providence House upon acceptance. Once an item has been accepted and credited toward service hours, the donation is final and non-returnable.

Providence House reserves the right to determine the most appropriate use, distribution, allocation, storage, or redistribution of all donated items based on current needs, organizational priorities, available resources, and the charitable mission of the organization.

Donated items may be used to support Providence House programs, departments, residents, families, facilities, and operations. When appropriate, donated items may also be provided to:

• Current Providence House residents and families.

• Families transitioning from Providence House into permanent housing, including move-out and household needs.

• Former residents or families experiencing an identified need when continued assistance is appropriate.

• Individuals or families in the community experiencing an identified hardship or need.

• Partner organizations or community organizations serving individuals and families in need.

• Providence House staff members experiencing an identified hardship or emergency need.

• Other mission-aligned charitable or community needs determined appropriate by Providence House.

Providence House may redirect or redistribute donated items when quantities exceed current organizational needs, when items are better suited to another identified need, when another community need is determined to be more immediate, or when redistribution otherwise supports the charitable mission and purposes of Providence House.

Donation of a specific item does not guarantee that the item will be used by a particular resident, family, department, program, facility, or location.

Providence House retains discretion over the use and distribution of donated items after they have been accepted.

Program requirements, requested items, donation values, purchasing guidelines, approval processes, service-hour allocations, and other program procedures may be modified, suspended, or discontinued at any time based on organizational needs and priorities.

Participation in the Items for Hours Program does not guarantee acceptance or approval of service hours by any outside school, court, employer, church, agency, scholarship program, or other entity.

For the most current program guidelines or to request a current supply list, participants should contact Providence House directly.

Thank You for Supporting Providence House

Every approved donation helps Providence House respond to changing needs while supporting families on their journey toward stability and independence.

Your service helps provide more than items. It helps provide the resources families need to begin again.

For more information, contact Cortland Jones at cjones@theprovidencehouse.com or (318) 221-7887.