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Hygiene Poverty
From Desperation to Hope
Our Healthy Essentials Pantry is addressing the under met need of Hygiene Poverty in Racine County, reaching into Kenosha and Milwaukee counties. Through referrals from other community service providers, we have been providing essential, basic non-food household goods such as personal, baby and household care items to moderate, low and very low-income individuals and families. We do not have an income or residency requirement to ensure we can provide for as many in need as possible.
HYGIENE POVERTY is very real
it brings with it shame and desperation.
NOW WITH COVID-19 THE SITUATION HAS GOTTEN WORSE. According to the April 28, 2020 study "The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Straining Families’ Abilities to Afford Basic Needs"
Shame
of not being able to provide for your family.
“I’m a man, I got to stand up like a man, but sometimes it brings me down, and it’s a hurting feeling because when I do things like that and asking people, it really bothers me and it hurts me. Sometimes it brings tears to my eyes.”
"What about my children?... “I have seen how other kids pick on the kids when they are not dressed properly…and that affects kids. I’ve seen it.”
Desperation
how do we cope?
Borrow: – “Sometimes I have to call certain people, family members to borrow things.”
Stretch: – “We can only do laundry once a month.”
Substitute: – “And to do dishes, you’ll have to sit there and use shampoo sometimes.” – “…if you don’t have deodorant you can put baking soda up under your arms.”
Food Pantry “Shopping”: – “There’s different places, if you’re lucky, they’ll give you a [toilet paper] roll or two, here or there.”
Doing Without: – “You can just brush your teeth with water if it comes down to it because we’ve been homeless before.”
Using Public Facilities when you don’t have water or soap: – “I had to use hygiene products in public bathrooms to freshen up and not make us look homeless.”
Are you one of the lucky ones?
OUR GOAL IS TO ALLEVIATE THE SHAME AND DESPERATION THAT OFTEN ACCOMPANIES HYGIENE POVERTY by consistently providing shampoo, deodorant, bar soap, diapers, dishwashing detergent, disinfectant cleaners, laundry detergent…THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS THROUGH YOU, AND YOUR GENEROUS GIVING…WON’T YOU GIVE TODAY TO CHANGE A LIFE TOMORROW?
