Donate To Homeless Charities

Give with intention as you plan how to spend your money and time. When you donate to homeless charities like Opportunity House, you’ll be making an incredible impact on the lives of the most vulnerable members of society.

The Mission of Opportunity House

Donate To Homeless Charities

Opportunity House provides emergency shelter and supportive services to the homeless citizens of Berks County, PA. We welcome men, women, and families with children who require emergency shelter, helping an average of 500 clients each year.

The emergency shelter operates around the clock, 365 days a year. We provide three meals and a snack daily, access to showers and laundry facilities, the essentials for self-care and personal hygiene, case management, and a safe and comfortable place to rest.

The fall into homelessness can happen to anyone, and for many different reasons. Recovering from homelessness can be incredibly difficult. Securing identification, employment, licensing, medical care, rehab, life skills, and child care can be overwhelming, and even impossible, without help. Opportunity House provides each client with a case manager to identify housing challenges and help overcome them.

Beyond the emergency shelter, we offer aid to our clients as they transition into more permanent housing solutions. We even provide permanent housing units to assist clients on their journey to permanent, stable housing.

Second Street Learning Center

Recognizing the connection between a lack of child care and homelessness, Opportunity House established and operates the Second Street Learning Center. The Second Street Learning Center at Opportunity House provides affordable early childhood education for emergency shelter clients, permanent housing clients, and the community at large. The center is a Keystone 4 Star Learning Center and has a highly trained and skilled staff.

The center serves about 200 children annually, ranging from 6 weeks to 13 years old. Programs include:

  • Infant
  • Toddler
  • Pre-K Counts
  • Preschool
  • School-age
  • Summer Camp programs

Reuse/Recycle Program

OppShop and our recycling warehouse repurpose and recycle items. When you donate gently-used donated items to Opportunity House, you help provide clothing to those clients in our homeless shelter. Items are also sold at OppShop at affordable prices to help formerly homeless residents get the essentials they need to get back on their feet. All proceeds from OppShop go toward the mission of Opportunity House, so we gladly accept donations of saleable items.

Ways to Donate

The work of Opportunity House takes resources, so we gratefully accept your financial support and in-kind donations. Help us continue making a positive impact on the lives of the homeless.

Gifts of money are perhaps the easiest and quickest for most people.  Your gift of cash, check or online donations allow us to address the most pressing and urgent needs of the homeless population at Opportunity House. Mail a check, drop off cash, or click here to donate online!

In-kind donations of items are also welcome. For the shelter, we recommend donations of unused, new items. These items go directly to clients and include all the essentials, from undergarments to toiletries, laundry care, cold-weather clothing, baby essentials, and bottled water. Men’s and women’s underwear are always in demand, as are sports bras and diapers.

OppShop donations are for generally resale, so they can be gently used but should be free of stains, pet hair, damage, or excessive wear and tear. Our homeless clients “shop” at OppShop with vouchers from Opportunity House. This helps restore dignity and allows them to choose their own clothing. You can drop off items like clothing, shoes, housewares, books, media, and home decor at our donation center located behind the store on 5th Street Highway in Reading or at one of our many drop-off bins scattered throughout the county. For larger items, like furniture, schedule a pickup service.

You may also donate time to Opportunity House in various ways. We always have a role for volunteers who want to serve. Preparing and serving meals is an easy and rewarding way to volunteer and give back to the homeless in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Opportunity House in Reading, PA, should top the list if you want to donate to charities for the homeless. We invite you to browse our success stories for inspiration and a clear understanding of the impact of your gift!