Move-In Kits: Supporting the First Steps Toward Home

When a neighbor moves from homelessness into housing, it is a big step. It reflects courage, persistence, and the support of many people along the way.

But housing alone does not create a sense of home.

For more than eight years, volunteers from Bethania Moravian Church in Bethania, North Carolina, have helped make that transition gentler. Each year, they collect and assemble nearly 50 move-in kits filled with basic household items. Their work began under the leadership of their former pastor, Russ May, one of the original founders of City with Dwellings, and it has continued faithfully ever since.

The items in these kits are simple. Towels. Dishes. Cookware. Cleaning supplies. Bedding. Most of us build these things over time. For someone walking into an empty apartment after experiencing homelessness, having these essentials ready can ease stress and restore dignity from day one.

At City with Dwellings, our mission is to create change and cultivate a community of care so people can move with dignity from trauma and homelessness to healing and housing stability. Move-in kits are one practical way our community lives that mission. They help transform empty space into a place where someone can begin again.

Volunteer Noel Fulcher shared,
“It is joyful when you think about the recipients of these few items and how much it must help when moving into a new home.”

The need for move-in kits continues to grow as more neighbors transition into housing. There is room for more people to step into this circle of care.

There are two ways to be involved:

You can gather a group at church, workplace, or circle of friends to collect items and assemble kits together.

Or you can donate individual items to support Bethania Moravian Church’s ongoing efforts.

To learn more or to sign up, email volunteers@citywithdwellings.org
with the subject line “Move-in Kits.”

Items needed for Move-In Kits:

Whether building your own box or donating items, please include only items in the list below.

Watch the helpful video below with our friends from Bethania Moravian Church for a boxing demonstration.