A community donation drive in Grand Junction is collecting tents, sleeping bags, hygiene supplies, and other essentials through April 1 to support people displaced after the closure of HomewardBound’s North Avenue shelter. Multiple drop-off locations are accepting supplies.
A community-led donation drive is underway in Grand Junction following the closure of HomewardBound’s North Avenue emergency shelter, which had served as the largest overnight shelter for unhoused residents between Denver and Salt Lake City.
Local organizations and volunteers are collecting supplies through April 1 to help people who may now be living outside as shelter capacity in the region tightens. The drive is being organized by community members and supported by several local businesses and nonprofits.
Organizers say the following supplies are especially needed:
These items help people living outdoors stay warmer, safer, and healthier while navigating limited shelter availability.
Community members can drop off donations at the following locations:
The Feed
302 South Avenue
Saturdays, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Enjoy Ink
634 Main Street #101
Wednesday – Sunday, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Loving Beyond Understanding
640 White Avenue
Daily, 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
(Donations can be left in the lobby.)
Financial contributions can also be made to support the effort.
PayPal donations can be sent to:
solidaritynotcharitygjinfo@gmail.com
Checks can be mailed to:
PO Box 4650
Grand Junction, CO 81502
The closure of the North Avenue shelter has displaced dozens of residents who relied on the facility for a safe place to sleep during the winter months. According to local estimates, Mesa County has more than 2,400 unhoused residents, the largest population on Colorado’s Western Slope. The North Avenue shelter had the capacity to serve around 150 people at a time and had operated as a key emergency resource for years.
HomewardBound officials have said ongoing funding challenges made it impossible to keep the shelter open long term. Federal and state funding cuts have reduced available resources, and while local governments and community donations helped extend operations through the winter, the organization ultimately consolidated services into its Pathways Family Shelter on 29 Road, which prioritizes families, medically vulnerable individuals, veterans, and other high-need populations.
For many individuals who stayed at the shelter, the closure creates uncertainty about where they will go next. Community advocates warn that losing emergency shelter capacity can make living outside more dangerous, especially during cold weather months.
In response, local volunteers launched the “Solidarity Not Charity” donation drive to gather essential outdoor survival supplies and hygiene items for people who may now be without shelter.
A fundraising event will also be held at Enjoy Ink on March 25 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., where community members can participate in a “Print for a Cause” event supporting the donation drive.
Organizers say the effort reflects a broader message of community support during a difficult transition.
As shelter capacity shifts and services consolidate, volunteers say small acts—from donating supplies to sharing information—can help ensure vulnerable community members are not left without support.
Community members interested in helping are encouraged to donate supplies, contribute financially, or share information about the drive with others in the region.
