Partnering to Provide Personal Hygiene Items

The loss of income brought on by COVID-19 has led to an increase in need in many areas including personal hygiene items. When schools went virtual last March, the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District social workers identified about 200 students who were in need of personal items including toilet paper, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, dish soap and laundry detergent. The Education Foundation raised $15,000 to start a distribution program in which volunteers packaged items and social workers distributed them at sites throughout the school district. At the first distribution on April 20, 2020, social workers reported 50% more demand than expected and turned away about 100 students because supplies ran out.

The Education Foundation needed help to sustain the program which cost $5000 per month to operate. MOM was able to step in to help. MOM now covers the cost for the program every other distribution. The latest distribution took place on February 27^, 2021. Fifteen volunteers assembled 235 sets of basic items to hand out to families. Each set contains paper towel, toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, dish soap, hand soap, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products (supplied by Period Poverty), and laundry detergent. By partnering, we are able to make sure kids and families in our communities have these basic necessities during the pandemic. Read more in this Wisconsin State Journal article.