Hygiene for the Holidays

Bringing Hope, Dignity, and the Next Step Forward This Holiday Season

Over the past several years, thousands of families in Kansas City have gained access to soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and other essentials through our work at Giving the Basics. Children have walked into classrooms with confidence. Job-seekers have been able to attend interviews without shame. Seniors stepped into community life with dignity.

Yet hygiene poverty has not gone away. Nationally, one in four students still struggles to afford basic hygiene products. And locally—right in our own backyard—many families remain caught in painful choices between groceries and deodorant, rent and diapers.

This reality points to a simple truth: no child should miss class for lack of soap. No parent should have to risk losing work because of hygiene needs. Because dignity is not a luxury — it is a basic right.

That’s never more true than at the holidays—a time of year full of family gatherings and challenging reminders for people struggling to provide for their own basic needs. And that’s why we’re currently in the second year of our annual holiday campaign: Hygiene for the Holidays.

Our campaign is built around the Hygiene for the Holidays Catalog — a simple-yet-powerful way to provide dignity through essential hygiene items. The catalog allows donors to “shop” for supplies like soap, toothpaste, diapers, and laundry detergent, knowing that every purchase goes directly toward families who need them most.

The benefits are clear:

Easy to use—the catalog offers a range of meaningful gift options to suit your giving preferences.
Meets real needs—people receive tangible support through hygiene products that bring dignity back into daily life.
Trusted distribution—products are delivered through schools, shelters, and other community partners already working alongside those in need.
Local impact—gifts directly strengthen families in Kansas City, with ripple effects across the community.

Hygiene for the Holidays is generosity made tangible: an easy way to give that meets families where they are.

A Word of Encouragement

From Teresa Hamilton, Founder and CEO of Giving the Basics:

Last year, so many families felt the impact of your kindness through our Hygiene for the Holidays initiative. Your gifts brought dignity, confidence, and hope to people right here in Kansas City—and that’s something to celebrate.

This season, we’re asking you to join us again! When you give through our Hygiene for the Holidays Catalog, your impact is immediate and you’re helping families find comfort and confidence during a time that can be really tough. Together, we can make sure everyone ends the year feeling cared for and stronger.

How It Works

The only way this campaign will succeed is through the support of people like you. If you’d like to join us, here’s how:

Browse the Catalog—Select from a variety of holiday hygiene packages, or choose to give a custom gift of any amount.
Make a Donation—Every gift provides hygiene products directly to families in need.
Share the Impact—Join the movement by inviting others to give dignity this holiday season.

Each step turns generosity into real items—soap, toothpaste, diapers, and more—delivered through trusted schools and community partners. Families receive exactly what they need to feel clean, confident, and cared for.

Opportunities for Corporate Partners

If your organization would like to participate in Hygiene for the Holidays, you can help the campaign succeed in major ways. Corporate partners can:

Offer a matching gift to multiply impact and encourage others to give—84% of donors say they’re more likely to give when a matching gift is offered.
Host an employee fundraiser or hygiene drive that builds team spirit and supports families in need.
Make an in-kind donation of surplus products.

When businesses step in, the effect is two-fold: families in Kansas City receive vital hygiene products, and employees experience the pride of working for a company that cares for the community. It’s an opportunity for organizations to do good, strengthen teams, and share the gift of dignity this holiday season. Reach out today to learn more.

Closing the Gap Together

Hygiene poverty continues to hold families back. Yet the solution is simple: when the basics are provided, dignity and hope follow.

The impact made so far is worth celebrating. Every gift, every kit, every bottle of soap has mattered. Because of the generosity of so many individuals and organizations, thousands of families have experienced the relief of having what they need.

But the work isn’t finished. This holiday season, the Hygiene for the Holidays Catalog offers a way to meet real needs with tangible gifts that change lives.

Together, we can ensure Kansas City families end the year with dignity, confidence, and hope.