Student Hygiene Closets

Hygiene Supplies

Hygiene Closets Logo

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
  • Boyd J. Michael, III Technical High School
  • Cascade Elementary School
  • Clear Spring Elementary School
  • Greenbriar Elementary School
  • Hancock Elementary School
  • Hickory Elementary School
  • Maugansville Elementary School
  • Paramount Elementary School
  • Parkside Community Center
  • Pleasant Valley Elementary School
  • Smithsburg High School
  • Rockland Woods Elementary School
  • Washington County Community Action Council
  • CASA, Inc.
  • Family Healthcare of Hagerstown
  • Holly Place
  • Soul Haven
  • QCI Behavioral Health
  • Zion Reformed United Church of Christ

The current number of lives impacted is over 2,308 and growing by the day!

new NEW! DOWNTOWN WALK-UP HYGIENE CLOSET

Our downtown walk up window is now open! Servicing adults and their families, this program is separate from our student hygiene services. We've retrofitted an old bank drive thru as an easy and discreet method of handing out much needed hygiene items to those who come to us referred by partner organizations. Clients trade a voucher for a bag of 5 essential items. The window is open weekly on Thursdays from 9am - noon and is staffed by United Way employees and volunteers.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Your contribution to United Way of Washington County can help impact a student's life!

To make a financial donation, click here and choose "Hygiene Closets" on the drop-down menu under "Donation Designation". 

To purchase personal hygiene items to donate, please visit our amazon wish list here: https://a.co/jiDA8GP

 

Hickory Elementary

 

    

 

 

 

 

Hygiene kits are bagged and distributed discreetly to students. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clear Spring

 

 

 

 

 

Ensuring our partners have adequate supplies on-hand!

 

 

 

 

 

 

HCC Pantry

 

 

 

 

Hagerstown Community College 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Donation

 

 

 

 

 

Your donation dollars hard at work to ensure we are helping to meet the basic needs of students!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information, please contact Stacey Abeles at srabeles11@gmail.com or Kathy Harple at kathy@uwwcmd.org.