The Resource Bank is a unique project that distributes, free of charge, donations of surplus inventory from manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and others to homeless service agencies throughout Los Angeles County. In addition to the agency’s Board of Directors, the Resource Bank has a National Advisory Committee to provide support and guidance.

Shelter Partnership reinforces the provision of basic assistance through the immensely successful Shelter Resource Bank project. Established in 1989, the Resource Bank has secured more than $150 million in new donated goods from over 500 companies, and has distributed over $135 million to more than 350 agencies that serve the homeless and very poor. Examples of goods are toilet paper, personal hygiene products, linens, clothing, diapers, toys, baby products, cleaning products, and so much more. By meeting immediate needs, the project enables participating agencies to focus their energy and scarce resources on case management, support services, and organizational capacity-building.

The success of the Resource Bank lies in its ability to solicit, collect, sort and distribute large amounts of new goods, and in our ability to leverage our resources. It costs us less than five cents to distribute a dollar’s worth of goods. The vast majority of Resource Bank Donors are corporations, and for them, the benefits of participation include above-cost tax deductions, positive public relations, and the opportunity to free-up warehouse space and participate in corporate philanthropy.

The Resource Bank is operated out of a secure and fully operational 108,000 square foot warehouse in the City of Bell. Shelter Partnership is now the proud owner this warehouse.  We received the deed free of charge under Title V of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.  All donations are physically inventoried and the data on these goods entered in a computerized system. Annual audits are conducted by an outside accounting firm to maintain the integrity of the information contained in our database.

No goods are resold. All recipient agencies are 501(c)(3) nonprofits that desperately need the donated goods to save money for direct services.

The Resource Bank serves all of Los Angeles County, and the primary community served is the nearly 200 direct homeless service providers that number over 15,000 beds and operate a total of over 300 short-term housing programs for homeless people. We also serve agencies providing nonresidential programs serving the homeless, as well as organizations providing affordable housing to previously homeless individuals and families.

While it is difficult to provide exact numbers, we estimate that the Resource Bank provides goods to over 100,000 homeless individuals in Los Angeles each year and approximately 50% of the recipient agencies serve homeless children and youth.

For more information about product donations, please contact our Gifts in Kind Manager, Jennifer Marquez  at (213) 943-4577.