Hundreds of our neighbors in Providence face the brutal cold every day and night—to shiver in tents, cars, and unheated spaces. Builders Club organizes in solidarity with all of our neighbors in the region to provide free heaters to residents who do not have access to stable, heated housing. We understand that strong relationships and good organizing are the foundation for any real change in this world.
Our current front-line struggle is the distribution of tent heaters to the unhoused in and around Providence. We have distributed over 80 of these safe, reliable kits so far, and we are setting our sights on 250 this winter. Each heater costs $20, and it is a powerful tool of self-defense against the cold. They use isopropyl alcohol, eliminating the threat of carbon monoxide, and are designed to be safe even if knocked over. Residents of the encampments tell us these heaters turn a freezing tent into a warm sanctuary in about 20 minutes.
While distributing heaters, we also get many small, urgent requests, for things like blankets or sleeping bags, hand warmers, or coats for pet dogs. We also go around on the coldest nights distributing more fuel to people that we've established connections with. Doing some fundraising makes it much easier for volunteers that don't have much themselves to get someone what they need without always spending their own money.
Ultimately we're building movements and cultures where everyone takes care of each other rather than competing against each other and letting the most vulnerable fall through the cracks. We're trying to spend our own time and money in the best ways that we can towards those ends, and we invite you to join us.
We try to help everyone in small but significant ways, and in that process we meet many amazing people, that we then work with to make bigger changes. We need the means to continue this work. Your contribution is an investment in our collective struggle. It funds the materials for the next heaters we distribute NEXT WEEK. Our volunteers are on the ground every week, connecting with our unhoused neighbors and delivering the heat and the hope. Please donate what you can, and help us by sharing this fundraiser.
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ABOUT BUILDERS CLUB
Builders Club is an all-volunteer group that formed early in 2025. We are a wholesome group of nerds doing what we can to build community and build stuff that helps people. We started getting to know each other through building seating for bus stops and teaching and learning electrical wiring together. We have a meeting every two weeks and get together to work on projects in between.
We learned about this stove design through the grapevine from other cities. A collective in Portland, Oregon did extensive testing, development, and documentation of the design around 2022. We did our own extensive testing on our first versions, and made a few small improvements based on our own observations and how folks use them in their tents. We love getting better at building stuff and welcome new members, so join us if you are interested!