| Quick answer: Newly-arrived refugee families often start from nothing, so the most useful donations set up a first home: bedding, kitchen basics, towels, hygiene supplies, seasonal clothing, and gift cards for the personal items only the family can choose. A giving list lets supporters provide these exact items from any store, with a cash fund for rent and transport. A free MyRegistry giving list helps a resettlement group publish needs and accept both items and flexible support. |
For a family arriving in a new country, often with little more than what they could carry, the practical basics of a first home make an enormous difference. Resettlement and welcome groups work hard to furnish those essentials, and a giving list turns community goodwill into exactly what a family needs to start over with dignity. Here’s what to include.
Items below link to real products as examples. A free MyRegistry giving list lets a welcome group publish these needs from any store, with gift cards and a cash fund for the things only the family can choose.
Setting Up a First Home
Bedding & sheet sets — so every family member has a bed made up on night one.
Kitchen starter sets — pots, utensils, and basics to cook a first family meal.
Towels — a simple, essential comfort often overlooked.
Cleaning supplies — to set up and maintain a new home.
| Publish a welcome-home list — start free on MyRegistry for Nonprofits . |
Dignity & Daily Life
Hygiene & toiletry kits — immediate personal-care essentials.
Seasonal coats & clothing — especially critical for families arriving into cold weather.
Backpacks — for kids starting school and adults heading to work or classes.
Let Families Choose: Gift Cards & Cash
Some of the most respectful support is flexible. Gift cards let families choose culturally-appropriate food, the right clothing sizes, and personal items themselves, while a cash fund helps with rent, transport, and emergencies. Dignity means choice — and these give it.
Grocery & retailer gift cards — let families choose food and personal items with dignity.
Dignity means choice — gift cards and cash let families decide what they need most.
Why a Giving List Fits Resettlement Work
Welcome groups often set up multiple homes at once, on tight timelines. A giving list lets supporters claim specific items for a specific family’s setup, shipped where volunteers coordinate, while gift cards and a cash fund cover the personal and flexible needs. It turns a scramble into an organized, dignified welcome.
| Feature | MyRegistry Giving List | Single-store list |
|---|---|---|
| Add items from any store | Yes | No — one retailer |
| Cash gift funds | Yes | Rarely |
| Your logo & branding | Yes | Minimal |
| Embed on your website | Yes | Limited |
| Real-time tracking | Yes | Within that store |
| Cost | Free | Free |
A Real-World Scenario
A local welcome group was resettling three families in one month and coordinating donations by group text, chaos. They switched to a giving list per family: bedding, kitchen sets, towels, and coats from big-box stores, plus grocery gift cards and a cash fund for transport. Supporters claimed specific items, nothing duplicated, and each family walked into a set-up home with the dignity of choosing their own food and clothing. The volunteers finally had a system instead of a scramble.
| ✔ Pros — Refugee Welcome Giving List (on MyRegistry) | ✘ Cons — Refugee Welcome Giving List (on MyRegistry) |
|---|---|
| • Sets up a first home, item by item | • Volunteers coordinate receiving |
| • Gift cards preserve family choice | • Confirm each family’s specific needs |
| • Cash fund for rent and transport | |
| • Any store, one branded link | |
| • Real-time tracking across families |
| ★ Expert recommendation: Combine home-setup items with gift cards and a cash fund so families can choose their own culturally-appropriate food, clothing, and personal items — dignity is as important as the supplies. A free MyRegistry giving list holds all of it on one branded link. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What do newly-arrived refugee families need most?
Home-setup basics (bedding, kitchen, towels), hygiene, seasonal clothing, and gift cards or cash so they can choose personal and culturally-appropriate items themselves.
Why include gift cards?
They let families choose their own food, clothing sizes, and personal items with dignity, something pre-selected donations can’t.
Can we run a list per family?
Yes, a giving list can be set up for each family’s specific setup, with items shipped where volunteers coordinate.
The Bottom Line
A welcome giving list turns community goodwill into a dignified fresh start for arriving families. Set one up free at MyRegistry for Nonprofits.
