Winter clothes drive, Lalmonirhat

About this task

In Lalmonirhat’s Teesta chars, cold waves hit poor families hardest. Collecting sweaters, jackets, shawls and blankets in good condition from town homes, offices and mosques; washing, sorting and packing them by size; then handing out by token from a list made with the union council or school, the elderly and children first.

Why it matters

Every winter cold waves bring temperatures far down in the northern districts; the elderly and children fall ill, and people are burned warming themselves by fires. Meanwhile many town homes hold warm clothes nobody uses.

What changes after

Every family on the list received, with signatures; nothing torn or dirty given; a link kept between the giving and receiving areas.

Who can join

Anyone in town can collect; local volunteers hand out.

What it costs

Getting ready, step by step

• 3 weeks before

  Choose the union or village; start the list with the union parishad or the school head teacher.

  Announce collection points and dates in town (homes, offices, mosques).

• 10 days before

  Sort what came in: torn or dirty apart; wash and dry where needed.

  Pack by child, adult and elderly; label each pack.

  Match the number of packs to the families on the list.

• 3 days before

  Fix transport and send the packs; a local volunteer receives them.

  Get named tokens to the listed families, with time and place.

• On the day

  By token and list, one pack per family; take a signature or thumbprint.

  Serve the elderly, disabled and mothers with children first; keep seats.

  Note separately those who could not come.

• The week after

  Take packs to the homes of families who did not come; get signatures.

  Thank donors with a short account (how many packs, how many families).

Who does what

• Lead (1): Fixes list, date and place with the union parishad or school. — ____________
• Collectors (2): Collect from homes and offices in town, checking condition. — ____________
• Sorting and packing (2): Wash, fold, pack by size, label. — ____________
• Local hand-out team (2): Check tokens, manage the line, take signatures. — ____________
• Records and photos (1): List, signature sheet, photos with consent. — ____________

The day, hour by hour

• 08:30Local team on site; packs set out by size, table and list ready.
• 09:00Separate line and seats for the elderly and disabled.
• 09:30Hand-out begins: check token and name, give the pack, take signature or thumbprint.
• 11:00Ten-minute team breaks in turns, so the line keeps moving.
• 12:30Check the list for who is left; note them.
• 13:00Count leftover packs, leave with a local keeper, plan home deliveries.
• 13:30Clean up, photograph the signature sheets, done.

What can go wrong, and what to do

• Many people beyond the list arrive, crowding and pushing → Give only by token; explain calmly, note their names for a later round; if it gets disorderly, pause and ask the union parishad for help.
• Not enough packs → Match list and packs beforehand; if short, serve the elderly and children first and give the rest a date.
• Burns from warming by fires → Say in a minute at hand-out: keep loose shawls and saris away from fires, never leave a child alone by a fire; if clothes catch fire, roll on the ground, call 999 or 16163.
• Torn or dirty clothes slip into packs → Two people check during sorting; when in doubt, leave it out. Give nothing you would be ashamed to wear.

Useful numbers

• 999National emergency: police, fire, ambulance (free)
• 16263Shasthya Batayon: a doctor on the phone

Team notes