SEA CONTAINER
MINISTRY GUIDE
“Working together towards a better future and making a
difference in the lives of the impoverished world-wide.”
Rays of Hope, 446 Grandville Ave SW, Dock #6 Grand Rapids, MI 49503
For more information on deliveries and tours please contact:
Ray at (616) 570-3575 or [email protected]
Thanks to the generosity of people like you Rays of Hope receives many donated items,
which we then make available to the impoverished around the world. Our 60,000 square
foot warehouse is a revolving supply of everything from nonperishable foods, personal
hygiene items, office furniture/supplies and clothes to surgical gloves, syringes, hospital
beds, ultra sound equipment and so much more. While items may not be obtainable at
any given time, anything we do have in stock is available to others who share our vision.
RECEIVING HOURS:
*Available alternate hours by appointment only
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
9am-2pm
9am-2pm
9am-2pm
Closed
9am-2pm
9am-2pm
Closed
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Documents
Receiving Hours and Table of Contents
Page
#
1
Step by Step Shipping Instructions
2
Contact Information Form
3
Manifest Packing List
4
Packing Information
5
Package Labeling Information
6
Shipping Costs
7
International Shipping Facts
8
Additional Opportunities
9
1
STEP BY STEP SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1:

Package items to prepare them for shipment.
- Please be considerate of the limited amount of space in shipping
containers and place items in boxes/crates/tubs /etc.
- Oversized items are accepted however they must be individually
packaged, labeled and listed separately in the manifest.
STEP 2:

Fill out the following forms completely:
- Contact Information Form
- Manifest Packing List
*For a list of suggested terms see page 5.
STEP 3:

Create a label for each package shipping.
STEP 4:

Calculate price based on the standard shipping costs found on page 7.
STEP 5:
Gather all labels, forms and the desired means of payment and place
it in an envelope.
 Put this envelope inside the package being shipped.

- If sending multiple packages please write, “PACKING
INFORMATION INSIDE” on the one containing the envelope.
STEP 6:

Send or deliver labeled package(s) to:
Rays of Hope, 446 Grandville Ave SW, Dock #6 Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Also write on the box the project the package is shipping through.
- Example: “Sea Container Shipping”
-For a list of other int’l shipping programs through Rays of Hope
see pg. 9
STEP 7:
Rays of Hope will contact the package’s receiver as soon as the
container has been delivered.

2
For office use:
Container Ship Date ___________
Check # ___________________
Date Received ______________
Cubic Feet _____ Quantity ______
CONTACT INFORMATION FORM
Please complete form for EACH recipient.
All items must be completed.
Receiving Organization Information:
Name
Address
City, State
Contact
Phone
Email
Sending Organization Information:
Name
Address
City, State
Contact
Phone
Email
Manifest Packing List
“Must” be completed by sender.
Date
Contact Name
(Recipient’s)
Phone Number
Email
Shipping
Quantity
Packaging
Item
Make copies of this page for additional items.
4
Use
Page ____ of ____
PACKING INFORMATION
Oversized Items:
An oversized item is any item being shipped that weighs over 300pounds (which requires
our use of a forklift) or any large item requiring special shipping instructions.
These items have an additional charge and have alternate shipping
requirements:
- They must be properly packaged individually to prevent damage.
- They must be listed separately in the manifest based on the quantity being
shipped.
*Example: If shipping 5 bicycles under “Quantity” write 5 and under
“Contents” write bicycles
Suggested Manifest Labeling Terms:
To assist with shipment we request items be packaged with other items used
for similar purposes. Use the following list of terms and examples to help
identify your items classifications:
-School Supplies: backpacks, pencils, pens, paper, books, chalkboards, scissors,
rulers, markers, staplers
-Medical Supplies: medicine, equipment, scrubs, crutches, wraps. NOTE: date-check
any medicine shipping to ensure it will NOT be expiring within six months of the ship date.
-Clothing: shirts, pants, socks, shoes, under garments, jackets. NOTE: New/used clothing
is accepted. However, clarify on the Packing List whether the items are new or used.
-Sports Equipment: balls, nets, racquets, bats, uniforms, cleats, scoreboards
-Hygiene Supplies: soap, shampoo, lotions, toothbrushes, nail clippers, tissues,
brushes
-Agricultural Supplies: seeds, hoes, rakes, watering canisters, clippers, baskets
-Automotive Supplies: parts-tires, bolts, gauges and tools-lifts, wrenches. NOTE: We
do not ship whole vehicles.
-Toys: dolls, stuffed animals, action figures, puzzles, educational games, chalk, art
supplies
-Food: canned items, rice, flour, dry soup. NOTE: Be sure to package uncanned food items in
airtight containers.
-Religious Supplies: bibles, pictures, rosaries, informational packets
-Household Items: fabric, sheet towels, lamps, dishes, utensils, thread, sewing
machines, tvs, chairs, tables, shelves, cleaners, scrub brushes
-Luxury Items: artwork/art supplies, jewelry, books, stereos, dvds/cds, computers,
phones
5
PACKAGE LABELING INFORMATION
After individual items have been gathered and placed into
desired package(s) the sender then needs to create label(s).
All labels should be large enough to be clearly visible and
include:

Rays of Hope’s return address

Recipient of the package (person or organization)

A contact person who will receive the package

Contact person’s address/phone number
Sample Label:
Rays of Hope
446 Grandville Ave.
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Receiving Organization
Contact Person
Contact Address
Phone Number
Program Package is Through
Additional Considerations:



It is a good idea to have more than one label per package in case of
damage encountered during shipping.
Note the size of the package being sent. When shipping large
packages provide large labels.
Remember when shipping multiple packages to also clarify which
one contains the packing information by writing, “Packing
Information Inside” in a large, visible area on the package.
6
SHIPPING COSTS
Measuring:
Step 1: Measure the widest, highest and deepest points of the package(s) in
inches.
-Please round up to the nearest ½ inch.
Step 2: Take these dimensions and multiply them (W x H x D).
Step 3: To convert inches to feet divide that number by 1728 (which is the
number of cubic inches in a cubic foot).
Pricing:
To calculate the cost of shipping take the number calculated above, in “Step
3”, and multiply that by $8.
Incurred Costs:

Any package weighing:
-300-500lbs is charged an additional $25 per overweight package.
-500-1,000lbs is charged an additional $50 per overweight package.
-1,000lbs-2,000lbs is charged an additional $100 per overweight package.
-Over 2,000lbs is charged an additional $150 per overweight package.

If package(s) are being transported to our warehouse in Haiti the delivery
of shipped items to the recipient can be arranged.
-Pricing for delivery is conditional and depends on a variety of factors, call for
inquiry.

Due to the limited amount of space in our Haitian warehouse any items left
there for more than 30days will be charged $350 per month as a storage fee.
Additional Considerations:

Payments are required prior to shipping, unless alternate arrangements have
been made.

A Rays of Hope employee will confirm the shipper’s measurements upon
receiving the package(s).

Although payment is to be made prior to shipping additional costs and
charges may incur.
7
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING FACTS
Limits of Liability:
All merchandise shipped by Rays of Hope International is fulfilled in
accordance with a Shipment Contract through FOB Clearwater,
Florida. This means that the risk of loss and title for such
merchandise passes to the sender (you) upon our delivery to the
designated carrier and Rays of Hope International releases all liability
and costs incurred in connection with Shipment Loss/Damage
Claims.
Customs Forms:
All customs work is done by Rays of Hope via the information stated
in the Manifest Packing List
Package Delivery:
Shipment occurs once a container has been filled. This means it may
take some time for your package to send. The average time it takes to
fill a container is about four to six weeks. After the container leaves
our warehouse shipment takes between three and four weeks to arrive
at its destination and an additional three to six weeks for the
paperwork and signatures necessary to gain customs clearance.
NOTE: These are shipment averages, actual shipment may take more OR less
time until arrival.
Shipping a Full Container:
We are able to ship full 20’ or 40’ containers from their current
warehouse location within the United States to the desired destination
upon sender’s request. Container shipment is reliant on the fact that
all contents are to be used for nonprofit aid and NOT for resale upon
arrival.
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ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
P.A.I.L. Project
“Providing Aid, Impacting Lives”
STEP 1- Get a 5 gallon pail
-Pails are available for free from Rays of Hope when available or at most home improvement stores (such as Home
Depot) for about $3 each.
STEP 2– Decide what type of pail to send; food, personal care or baby and fill it with supplies such as:
Food Pail
-Rice
-Beans
-Cooking Oil
-Canned Foods
-Can Opener
-Peanut Butter
-Flour
Personal Care Pail
-Soap
-Towels
-Tooth Brushes
-Tooth Paste
-Hair Ties
-Shampoo
-Tweezers
Baby Pail
-Diapers/Diaper Rash Cream
-Blankets
-Formula (check exp. date)
-Infant Medications
-Small Toys
-Baby Clothes
-Bottles
STEP 3- Include $10 for shipping and a personal note, picture of your family, favorite verse or poem, etc.
STEP 4- Send or deliver pails to Rays of Hope’s warehouse address as stated on the front of this guide.
STEP 5- Help a family in Haiti!
-If you have a contact in Haiti you’d like to send the pail to they can pick it up at our warehouse in Port-au-Prince,
otherwise we can distribute them to those in need for you.
-AND the pails are just as valuable as the contents! The families will use them to carry water, store food, etc.
Apparent Project Cereal Boxes
Rays of Hope ships boxes of empty, flattened cereal boxes to Haiti. These boxes provide
redeeming economic options for Haitian families and create value and beauty out of garbage.
What to do:
STEP 1- Collect and box up the empty cereal boxes
STEP 2- Include an envelope with:
-A Contact Information Form filled out with your information as the sender and Apparent Project as receiver.
-A Manifest Packing List stating empty boxes as the content.
-Payment for shipping following the calculations stated on page 7.
STEP 3- Send or deliver boxes to Rays of Hope’s address as found on front cover.
Just ONE box can yield $40 in profit for those in need when made into beads and sold as jewelry!
Clothing and Textile Drive
We’re collecting used clothing and textiles to raise money. This provides us with the funds
necessary to expand existing programs and allows us to move aid more quickly during a crisis.
What to Collect:
-Gently used clothing such as:
Coats, shoes, belts, ties, fashion accessories, backpacks, bedding, towels, clean stuffed animals, etc.
-Worn out, torn, or stained textiles such as:
Shoes with holes, jeans with broken zippers, clothing with stains, blankets with holes, etc.
How to donate:
-Place all items in plastic bags.
-Drop off bags at our warehouse during receiving hours listed on page 1.
Please contact Ray at (616) 570-3575 or [email protected] to schedule a drop off time.
9