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In our post about whistle kits, we encourage people who want to distribute whistles to their community to organize events to gather supplies and assemble kits. There is no one way to make kits — organizers from Seattle to Chicago have encouraged everyone to prioritize function over perfection and to adapt the contents of each kit to community needs.

However, gathering sufficient materials isn’t always financially feasible and is often logistically complicated. Materials change in price and aren’t always available in the amounts that organizers need. Printers jam, and local stores sometimes run out of supplies.

We spent several weeks researching suppliers and testing different options. Using commercial suppliers and discounts for bulk orders, we’ve set up standardized supply packets for assembling 250-1000 whistle kits at a time. The supplies in each kit include

• Whistles with split ring attachment for keychains

• Lanyard

• Postcard explaining how to use the whistle

• Know Your Rights (KYR) card

• Card with contact information for reporting ICE activity and immigrant social services

• Small plastic bag to hold all the kit material

Notes on our sources

Below, we’ve detailed the costs associated with purchasing and shipping bulk supplies to provide transparency for those who can support this work.

Often, supplies appear cheaper before checkout, only to have additional fees added at the end. Please note that, as part of our research, we included taxes and exact shipping costs in the price calculation. Across the board, we also tried to prioritize suppliers less likely to be affected by new tariffs.

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• Whistles source: Factory Price Jewelry, $0.12 (before tax and shipping)

  • While it is possible to source whistles for less than $0.22 (total unit cost) on websites like Amazon and Shein, there was often limited supply, or prices were responsive to demand and began to rise once more people began ordering whistles. As of December 2025, this was the best option we found when balancing quality, price, and consistent supply.

• Lanyard source: Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., $0.13-0.16 (before tax and shipping)

  • Lanyards were among the more challenging items to source.

  • Across the board, other organizers recommended that lanyards be at least 30 inches. After testing other lengths by having people of different heights and builds wear them for a day or two to test for comfort and usability, we came to the same conclusion.

  • Woven lanyards (like those worn with corporate name tags) were consistently too expensive, raising the cost of kits considerably. We were occasionally able to source batches (typically 100-500 at a time) at around $0.20, but since they weren’t meant to be worn under clothing, some people found them bulky, and we got feedback that led us to conclude many would not use these lanyards as a way to carry their whistle daily.

  • Other groups have used yarn, though that introduced issues with allergies and the added labor of pre-cutting the right number of lengths for kit-assembly events and packaging them so they wouldn’t tangle in transport (an issue we also ran into with paracord).

  • Despite the above challenges, we considered bulk purchasing spools of yard or paracord, as well as bulk ordering break-away clasps. Assembling lanyards this way was very labor-intensive, but less expensive and less bulky than woven lanyards. While these results were good, if time-consuming, concerns were raised that the loose clasps in the supply bundles could be a choking hazard for children. We ultimately abandoned this route after researching suppliers and experimenting with different combinations of cords and clasps.

  • Ball chain lanyards were the most comfortable option we tried and were inexpensive and available in bulk from a family-owned US-based company. While ball chain lanyards are not break-away, the consensus was that, since whistles also came with split rings for keychains, recipients could choose how to wear them based on the level of risk they were comfortable with.

• Postcard, KYR card, and contact card: Go Union Printing

  • We called and emailed unionized print shops across the tri-state area and beyond. Our chief considerations were price, the lead time for bulk orders, whether we could pick up orders ourselves, and the ability to ship printed material funded by donations directly to community groups that requested it.

  • Ultimately, we wanted to work with a printer who could also fulfill printed material orders from people organizing kit-assembly events. Our hope is that, as 3D-printing efforts ramp up and people take on the logistics of gathering the supplies they want to include in kits themselves, having an inexpensive print shop set up to sell printed kit materials in bundles could help prevent the printing bottleneck we’ve seen in other cities.

  • Go Union Printing is unionized and was happy to work with us and create a form for people to order their own material. The printing style they use also makes them one of the most economical options.

• Bags and boxes: Uline (bags are $0.08 each and boxes $0.98/each before taxes and shipping)

  • Bags were surprisingly challenging. We tested several types of cellophane bags but struggled to find ones sturdy enough not to tear when placing whistles and printed material inside.

  • We chose Uline because of the transparency around allergens, price, sturdy design, and consistent pricing. We chose the 4x6” bags after trialing a few sizes, as these fit the whistle kit components the best.

  • Boxes had to fit at least 25 whistle kits. We wanted something with a relatively small profile as many boxes need to sit on business counters and reception desks, and we were conscious of not taking up too much space. Standardizing their size had the added bonus of making it easier to create multi-lingual templates to decorate the boxes.

Finally, we had to choose a platform that allowed people to donate supplies anonymously and also kept our addresses and personal information private. Amazon wishlists have been popular in other cities, but organizers told us that it was limiting and not always cost-effective to only use supplies available on Amazon. Amazon and other wishlist platforms also consistently created surpluses of certain materials (like whistles) and a shortfall of others (like lanyards). Additionally, printing costs remained a significant issue, and most wishlist platforms lacked a straightforward way to include custom-printed material.

Original text below. We initially went with Throne because we believed that we could simplify the shipping process. Since most of the suppliers we eventually chose were not part of Throne’s platform, the platform didn’t really reduce workload and it’s unfamiliarity to many people caused hesitation. So we’ve moved to GoFundMe!

Because of other groups’ experience of wishlists resulting in unequal amounts of supplies, we decided to bundle supplies for 250, 500, and 1,000 kits into a single item, ensuring we do not end up with 8,000 whistles and only 1,000 lanyards. However, this had the downside of making each bundle on the list very expensive (ranging from $274.57 to $917.82 for supply bundles for 250-1,000 kits). If we let people fund smaller bundles (say, for making 25 kits), we lose the cost efficiency of bulk orders.

Eventually, based on the learnings of other groups and our own research, we landed on Throne as a platform. Throne was the only platform we found that would let us crowdfund the cost of the bundles, allowing people who want to donate $10 to contribute to bulk orders. This solution isn’t perfect. One downside is that the platform charges a fee and passes along the credit card processing fee. However, Throne was the best compromise we found, and its privacy safeguards are excellent.

If you’ve found a better source or solutions for any of the supplies and challenges we’re working on, please let us know! We’re looking to maintain quality while continuing to be as economical as possible in order the scale our efforts to get whistles into communities across New York City.

This strategy is most effective for protecting our communities if our loved ones and neighbors know about whistles and know how to use them. In other words, it’s about education and awareness as well as access to a physical tool.

What is a ‘whistle kit’? Why not just hand out whistles?

• A whistle kit is just an easy way to refer to the educational materials and resources that organizers have been distributing alongside whistles to better equip communities responding to ICE activity.

• Since whistle distribution has been a grassroots strategy adopted by activists to meet the needs of local communities across the US, there is variation in what different groups have included in their whistle kits. There is no hard-and-fast rule about what to include.

• It is helpful to learn from activists across the country and to leverage the material produced by organizations dedicated to protecting, supporting, and advocating for immigrants and immigrant rights, while keeping in mind that the contents of kits should be guided by your community’s needs.

• The general principle many groups have espoused is that any whistle is better than no whistle.

Where can I get a whistle kit or the supplies to make whistle kits?

• Assembling whistle kits can spread whistles and awareness, which help your community prepare and respond to ICE activity. Aim for function, not perfection. If you see an opportunity to do things differently, go for it!

• Like everything else in this post, this information is based on what we’ve seen work in our communities and what we’ve learned from other organizations across the country.

• If you think of a way to improve, iterate, and adapt these ideas for your community, go for it! If you can, share your ideas with us so we can all learn together how to prepare our communities better and protect our neighbors.

Whistles

• Any whistle is better than no whistle! Individual whistles can be bought at outdoor gear, sporting goods, school supply, and hardware stores, as well as many other places.

• If you plan to make whistle kits, we recommend purchasing whistles in bulk. Others have had success buying from Factory Price Jewelry (10¢ to 13¢ each), Ace Hardware and Walmart (16¢), First-Aid-Product.com (34¢-25¢ depending on the amount you order), DollarDays (76¢), and many options on Amazon and Shien.

An easy way for people to carry their whistles

• The best whistle is the one you have on you. Ideally, the kits have something to make carrying to whistle easy. Most manufactured whistles come with a split ring or key chain attachment, so if you’ve ordered whistles, check what they come with. Most times, you don’t need to buy anything additional!

• Across the country, people are 3D printing whistles at home (we will post soon about 3D printing efforts in New York City). If your whistles are 3D-printed or did not come with any way to wear them or attach them to a key chain, we recommend including

  • a split ring (roughly 0.5in/12mm to 1in/25mm works well) available from places like Panacord Planet, Uline, and Michael’s.

    

  • and/or a length of nylon cord, yarn, paracord, ball chain, or a woven lanyard that is comfortable to wear (avoid rough, stiff, or prickly materials) so people can easily carry their whistles around their necks. Lengths of at least 30in/76cm work well, as the whistle then hangs below the collar on most shirts and blouses.

    

  • For those concerned about wearing something around their neck, the safest option is a lanyard with a breakaway clasp. However, these are quite expensive (the cheapest bulk options are Amazon at $0.28 per lanyard). Volunteers in Washington have highlighted the use of a breakaway knot as an option to make nylon cord, yarn, and paracord safer.

  • We’ve written more in depth about our research on lanyards in our post about donating supplies and the lanyard we ultimately decided to include in the kits we assemble:

Know Your Rights (KYR) cards

• The Immigrant Legal Resource Center sells physical printed cards and also has files for printing at home. Available in 54 languages, these cards are designed to help assert your rights to an officer. If you’re unsure what languages might be most prevalent in your neighborhood, check out the NYC Language Map and New York City’s Languages Map by Council District.

Informational zines (spreading awareness about how to use whistles effectively to protect your community)

• Zines are small booklets made from a single sheet of paper and are easy to print at home on standard printer paper.

• Currently, we have adapted a bilingual zine produced by WA Whistles, which was originally based on a zine from the Pilsen Arts & Community House in Chicago. Our version added important contact information for reporting ICE activity and accessing legal support in New York City.

NYC Whistles Zine - Bilingual English & Spanish

1.6MB ∙ PDF file

Download

A bilingual zine meant to be printed double-sided. This template uses less paper but requires more cutting. We purchased a cheap paper cutter to speed up assembly.

Download

• Check out our post on zine-making with detailed instructions on folding, as well as translations of this zine and others into more languages.

Baggies for whistle kits

• Bags do not necessarily need a top closure. You can use Ziplocks or anything you have handy. The smallest size that can fit a zine is a 3x5-inch bag.

• ClearBags has a range of bags that can be ordered in bulk, including compostable options, as does Amazon. However, before a big bulk order, it helps to test the bags. Experience has taught us that some online options aren’t well-suited for something as bulky as a whistle, and they tend to tear.

Other useful supplies (especially if you have group assembling kits)

• Extra scissors: You’ll need scissors for the zines, but only for a single quick cut per zine. One pair for every 3 participants will be plenty. You can make do with fewer pairs if you set up an assembly line.

• Containers/bags for transporting completed kits: Count 10, 25, or 50 kits into a bag and label it. Produce bags, paper bags, and gallon ziplock bags also work. Whatever gets the job done is a good option!

• It is also helpful to have a box or bin to hold kits as you go.

If you have any ideas or find a great supplier for any of the above and can share, please let us know!

This how-to was based heavily on the work of the Chicago organizers of WhistleMania, who authored an incredibly comprehensive “How to host your own WhistleMania” document. WA Whistles organizers also created a useful “How to throw a Whistle Party” guide that we borrowed from. We are grateful for the shared resources and guidance of our fellow organizers across the country!

With love to our city and our neighbors,

NYC Whistles

Since then, groups across the US have adopted and adapted this strategy to protect their loved ones and neighbors. The Migra Whistle Coalition in Oregon and Pilsen Arts & Community House in Chicago have organized events to distribute whistles and educate people about how to use them to warn their communities of ICE raids. Groups like WA Whistles in Washington State have coordinated 3D printing and the purchase of cheap, loud whistles, distributing them to major cities and communities across their state.

Why whistles?

• Whistles help turn silence into action by alerting the community to ICE activity.

• Whistles are loud, but not so loud as to likely cause hearing damage like air horns, rape whistles, and other portable noise-makers.

• Whistles are a simple, inexpensive tool accessible to people without technological expertise, and can be carried every day by anyone.

• Whistles give witnesses a way to call for support while freeing them to also run, drive, use their phones to document ICE, send messages, and generally stay alert and attentive to the situation while still getting the word out.

• Unlike shouting, the sound of whistles travels farther and crosses language barriers, so people can react immediately when they hear a whistle.

How will people know what to do when they hear a whistle?

• Whistles only protect our neighbors if our communities know about them and know how to use them.

• As important as giving out whistles is distributing resources and information that empower communities to protect themselves. In other words, it’s about education and awareness as well as access to a physical tool.

• Organizers in Portland, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle have distributed whistles along with

  • Know Your Rights (KYR) cards,

  • introductory ‘zines’ (small booklets made from a single sheet of paper and easily printable at home) that summarize how whistles work as ICE alerts, and other important resources,

  • names of local organizations providing support to immigrants and communities, and

  • contact information for groups that can help connect people to free legal representation.

These packets of information and whistles are most commonly called ‘whistle kits.’ We have a post about how to assemble whistle kits, which we encourage you to read! It includes a breakdown of all components, links to purchase supplies, and downloadable files you can print at home.

We would like to thank WA Whistles for their thoughtful advice and support at the outset of this process. Pilsen Arts & Community House in Chicago has generously shared their designs and printed material so it can be adapted, and our contact with groups in North Carolina and California has taught us a lot about best practices and common bottlenecks. We are grateful to our comrades across the country who have helped us get up to speed on how to better protect our communities!

With love to our city and our neighbors,

NYC Whistles