Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive

The Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive is an annual hygiene drive that helps us collect new personal care and cleaning products. This year’s drie takes place from February 17th through March 10th throughout Northweastern Wisconsin. The products that we collect are distributed to Newcap’s homeless clients. 

So many of us take things like shampoo, bath soap and toothpaste for granted. Think about not being able to bathe or brush your teeth for an extended period of time. 

I recently met a homeless man who’d been living in his car. We were able to put him in a hotel for a couple of nights while we looked for someplace more permanent for him to live. Because of our Hygiene Drive we were able to provide him with all the personal care items he needed. He told me, “being able to take a shower and feel clean made him feel human again.” 

We have families that come to Newcap that are sharing a toothbrush, going without feminine care products and toilet tissue. Some working parents have told us they wash and reuse disposable diapers at home, so they have enough unused diapers to send with their child to daycare. Children are not admitted to daycare unless parents supply new disposable diapers. 

Look for the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive white boxes in businesses and schools in your community. Please consider donating shampoo, conditioner, soap, cleaning products, diapers, toothbrushes, toothpaste, paper towels and toilet tissue. Receiving these donations allows Newcap to direct our limited financial resources toward safe housing, nutritious food and healthcare. 

Thank you to the local businesses, churches and individuals that have supported the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive in the past. We hope you will do so again this year. And, if you haven’t had the opportunity to support us in the past, we hope you will this year. 

Newcap . . . Advocating, Believing, Achieving

-Deb Barlament, Executive Vice President of Operations