WHAT IS A HYGIENE CLOSET?
Soap, deodorant, toothpaste, brushes, and shampoo are all items we need every day. But for some, personal hygiene poses a problem. For a family struggling to make ends meet, paying rent or putting food on the table can be difficult. Personal hygiene items and other necessities are out of reach. People go without personal care items every day because they can't afford them. A lack of simple hygiene products can keep children out of school for days, even weeks. For these children, lost school time means lost learning time, making them less likely to succeed academically. While many organizations in our community assist with these items, those students living in rural communities with limited access to transportation may need help accessing those services. Our goal is to ensure that no student goes without their most basic of needs being met.
HOW IT WORKS
We work directly with local schools and organizations to make these personal necessities obtainable to students at school. Products such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, and brushes are just a few items in our pantries. Laundry detergent, lice kits, women's feminine products, and baby supplies are also frequently requested. By partnering with school liaisons known as Community Counselors, students in need are identified and provided with supplies.
Our current active partners are:
- Hagerstown Community College
- Cascade Elementary
- Clear Spring Elementary
- Western Heights Middle School
- Hickory Elementary School
- Two more locations are to be added soon!
The current number of lives impacted is over 700 and growing!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Your financial gift to United Way of Washington County can help impact a student's life!
For more information, please contact Stacey Abeles at srabeles11@gmail.com or Kathy Harple at kathy@uwwcmd.org.
Hygiene kits are bagged and distributed discreetly to students.
Ensuring our partners have adequate supplies on-hand!
Hagerstown Community College
Your donation dollars hard at work to ensure we are helping to meet the basic needs of students!