So you’ve read our main pages, perhaps our other blog posts so far, and you’re thinking ”Great! Let’s get this thing started!” Sadly, creating real change in our modern society is never that easy. Along with monetary donations, we are currently looking for the following equipment to begin our life-saving mission. If we collect enough money to purchase this equipment outright, then we will
- Wall Tent
The hub of activity, and the home base of Operation:NightLight, will be our heated wall tent. These tents can cost thousands of dollars, depending on quality and size, but we prefer this option because of its ease of use, mobility, and cost-effectiveness. Tents are cheap compared to large buildings, and can be set up extremely quickly and allow our shelter program to become operational as quickly as possible.
- Industrial Heaters
Heat is essential in the cold winter months of Alaska. Combined with a large wall tent, a large industrial heater is needed to create a safe shelter for our homeless population. The kind we have selected as our ideal choice is large enough to heat a large space, but is contained on a trailer for ease of use and mobility. These, in combination with large tents, are used frequently on the north slope of Alaska to house oilfield workers, and have been proven in the toughest of conditions. If we are able to acquire both a tent and office trailer, we will need two of these heating units.
- Office trailer
We have big dreams, dreams that will definitely outgrow the space in our tent that will be dedicated to our shelter guests. We are looking for a small mobile office trailer, similar to ones used on construction sites, or those you may have seen administering covid tests during the pandemic. This will allow us to have a dedicated work space that is separate from our shelter space, but mobile so that it will always be right nearby in a central location. We hope to use this space to write letters, conduct volunteer work and meetings, organize our files, and securely lock up when we are away.
- Folding chairs and tables
Something basic and small that cannot be overlooked: A place to sit. Our tent would not be complete without a place for our people to rest. While we do not aspire to create a place to sleep, we do wish to have at least a large set of folding or stadium chairs for our guests to rest their feet, set down their belongings, and sometimes enjoy a meal. Included in this category are also a few folding tables for our volunteers to conduct screenings and business at, and to set a coffee pot or snacks.
- Volunteers
While not an item that we can acquire, we wish to include a request for volunteers in this list. Volunteers are the most valuable resource of all, because without them, nothing would happen. We are especially looking for anyone willing to donate time to supervise the shelter during operating hours, to set up and maintain equipment, clean up during closed hours, address and stamp advocacy letters, and reach out to the public to request donations.
- Vacant lot to place the first warming tent.
We are currently seeking an empty lot or property to start operation:nightlight by setting up a tent and mobile office trailer for homeless Alaska Native shareholders and others. If you have any information on available lots/property in Fairbanks city limits, please contact us.
If you own any of the above items on this list, in new or gently used condition, and if you would consider offering it as a donation or at a discount to our organization, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are always looking for monetary donations as well, and each dollar donated will go directly toward creating our home base shelter. If you would like to know more about our operation and our current activities, go to our website or facebook, and spread the word to friends and family. We dearly hope you will consider helping create an organization that enacts direct change to end Native Alaskan shareholder homelessness.