52 Weeks of Giving - Week 8 - Make a Hygiene Kit

Sophia and Olivia assembling Hygiene Kits

For this week's 52 Weeks of Giving program that Sophia, Olivia, and I are doing, we each are assembling Hygiene Kits for Church World Service (CWS).  In the face of natural disasters, violence, or extreme poverty, Hygiene Kits can mean the difference between sickness and health for struggling families.

The Kits that volunteers make are packed with other same-type Kits and prepared for shipment to various points throughout the world, when and where the need is the greatest.

Olivia holding a completed Hygiene Kit

In addition to Hygiene Kits, CWS also has a variety of other kits that are small packages of supplies assembled by volunteers and shipped to people in need around the world. CWS provides assistance to people in need regardless of their race, ethnic origin, or religion.

Items needed to make three Hygiene Kits

Each Hygiene Kit contains:

- One hand towel measuring approximately 16" x 28" (no fingertip or bath towels)
- One washcloth
- One wide-tooth comb
- One nail clipper
- One bar of soap (bath size in wrapper)
- One toothbrush (in original packaging)
- Six standard size Band-Aids®

As instructed, we placed all of the items in a one-gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure, removed excess air from the bag, and sealed it.

Sophia with a completed Hygiene Kit

We didn't add toothpaste to the Hygiene Kit because CWS includes a carton of toothpaste that has an extended expiration date to the Hygiene Kit just prior to shipment.

CWS Kits make a world of difference in the lives of refugees,

displaced people, and victims of natural disasters.

Photo: Annie Griffiths for CWS

 
When packing and shipping kits, you put only one type of kit in a box (all hygiene kits are packed together, all emergency clean up buckets in another, and so forth).  Before sealing the box, a Kit Coupon is put on the top of the kits. 

We indicated the type of kit on the outside of the box, and secured the box with packing tape. We shipped the box to:

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE
Brethren Service Center Annex
601 Main Street
P.O. Box 188
New Windsor, MD 21776-0188

(CWS requests that both the P.O. Box and the street address are noted on boxes.)

For individuals, churches, and groups west of the Mississippi River, CWS Kits may also be sent to:

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE
Ferncliff Disaster Assistance Center
1720 Ferncliff Road
Little Rock, AR 72223

CWS requests a small donation (at least $2 for each Hygiene Kit) to cover sorting, packing, and insurance, as well as shipping Kits to their final destination. Cash donations in lieu of assembled Kits also help them to provide much-needed supplies.

For more information or answers to questions, call CWS at 1-800-297-1516.

A quake survivor in Haiti bathes her child. 

Photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance

Note on March 10th:  On March 7th, Church World Service sent a thank you note saying, "I want to thank you for your generous contribution - especially appreciated in this challenging economy.  Thanks to caring donors like you, Church World Service can provide food, water, and other necessities to families displaced by natural disasters, as we are doing in Pakistan now. 

"In a world wounded in so many ways, I remain hopeful because of the creative, resilient women, men, and children we assist around the world, and because of caring people like you, who empower us to act on your behalf.  May God bless you for your compassionate support.

"Yours in service,

Rev. John L. McCullough
Executive Director and CEO"

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Also this week, the girls and I have been cleaning the home and packing items that we no longer need/want or that no longer fit (in the case of clothing). 

We dropped off another donation to Family Pathways, a second-hand store.  All the proceeds from the items that are sold directly fund the non-profit organization's programs that benefit those in need (families and individuals; and youth to seniors).

Sophia and Olivia with donations to Family Pathways