Donate
By Molly Robinson
On April 20th, 2018 United Breast Cancer Foundation co hosted a Gift-in-Kind Distribution event with the Coalition for Women’s Cancers at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital in Southampton, NY. This was my first time running an event as the new Gift in Kind Program Manager, so safe to say I was both nervous and excited. Team UBCF prepared for the event for several weeks and was ready to see it come to to fruition. Visit our Gallery for pics from the event!
For those who don’t already know:
UBCF’s Gift-in-Kind Program (GIK) works with Good360 to receive donated home goods, personal care products, baby items, clothing and other useful items from Bed Bath and Beyond, Buy Buy Baby, Talbots, J. Jill, Nike, Burts Bee’s, First Aid Beauty, the Honest Company and other retailers.
UBCF offers these donated items to breast cancer patients and survivors through “GIK Shopping Appointments.” During these appointments, UBCF clients go “shopping” through UBCF donations taking whatever they want home with them – at absolutely NO cost! Breast Cancer is an expensive disease, so any items clients receive from UBCF rather than buy themselves helps immensely.
The event in Southampton was a large-scale GIK Shopping event. UBCF transported its entire inventory from headquarters in Huntington Station, NY, East to Southampton. We brought comforters, blankets, curtains, tablecloths, garbage cans, bathroom fixtures, cribs, baby gates, humidifiers, coffee makers, pillows, curtain rods and much more. Each applicant had a 15 minute appointment during which they could shop and take as much as they wanted/needed – for free of course. Not only are these donations financially helpful for UBCF clients, but they also bring some much needed joy to their lives.
UBCF assisted 25 breast cancer patients and survivors during the event. Each client was able to go through and take the items they needed or maybe just wanted – no restrictions. It was amazing to see pure happiness on women’s faces as they were checking out. They were so excited and grateful for UBCF’s support. I was so proud to be a part of this event. Watching UBCF clients leave with packed cars and smiles from ear to ear made the work that went into this event beyond worth it.
Need support through UBCF’s GIK Program? Email GIKprogram@ubcf.org to schedule a shopping appointment at UBCF headquarters or to learn more about our next large event.
