With the Welcome Basket program, Assistance League and St. Vincent de Paul work together to assist formerly homeless families as they move into their new homes.

Food stamps cannot be used to purchase cleaning  products, so Assistance League gives each family a Welcome Basket of household supplies such as mops, brushes and soap. Families selected as recipients are enrolled in St. Vincent de Paul’s Connections Transitional Housing Program. Welcome Baskets are also gifted to veterans in the VetLIFT program and to Supportive Services for Veteran Families. Each family is also given a houseplant.

A total of 68 Welcome Baskets were delivered through St. Vincent de Paul’s Connections Program and supportive services to veterans last year. To date, 446 families have benefited from Assistance League of Eugene’s Wecome Basket program.

One recipient of our program was Misty, a young single mother who received a Welcome Basket.  Misty said this gift helped her start a new life and boosted her morale.

Another family was so surprised that a plant was included with their basket of supplies. They had never thought of a plant as a household necessity and appreciated the gift.