May 2026 Volunteer Highlights - Giving the Basics

Small Actions, Lasting Impact

KPMG Volunteer Group

Every volunteer shift at Giving the Basics starts the same way: a group of people walks through our doors ready to help. Some arrive with coworkers looking for a team-building experience. Others come with friends, family members, or community organizations hoping to make a difference. What many don’t expect is to leave with a new understanding of just how many people struggle to access basic hygiene products.

Throughout May, volunteers transformed compassion into action at our hygiene bank. Over the course of the month, 287 volunteers from 20 different groups joined us to sort, package, and prepare an incredible 236,889 hygiene products for distribution throughout our service area. Those volunteers represented 18 corporate teams and 2 community groups, each bringing their own energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to serving others.

While the numbers are impressive, they tell only part of the story. Behind every packaged product is a person who will be able to start their day with dignity, confidence, and a sense of normalcy that many of us take for granted.

Seeing the Need Up Close

One of the most powerful aspects of volunteering at Giving the Basics is witnessing the scale of the need firsthand.

Many people know that families struggle with food insecurity. Fewer realize that millions of Americans also face hygiene insecurity—having to choose between purchasing necessities like soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, and other personal care items or paying for rent, utilities, transportation, and groceries.

Volunteers often leave with a deeper appreciation for the role these products play in everyday life.

Bank of America Volunteers

As one Bank of America volunteer shared:

“I think I have come to realize the sheer number of people who really need these products. It’s more than you could possibly imagine.”

That realization is one we hear frequently. Hygiene products are essential to health, education, employment, and overall well-being, yet they are often unavailable through traditional assistance programs. Through the work completed by volunteers, these products reach schools, food pantries, shelters, and nonprofit partners that serve individuals and families throughout our community.

The work may seem simple—sorting, counting, packing, and organizing—but the impact reaches far beyond our warehouse walls.

Corporate Volunteering with Purpose

Corporate volunteering continues to be one of the most impactful ways organizations support Giving the Basics. In May alone, corporate teams accounted for the vast majority of volunteer participation, bringing together employees who wanted to spend time making a meaningful difference in their community.

What makes these volunteer experiences unique is that they create benefits on multiple levels. Employees strengthen relationships with coworkers, organizations demonstrate their commitment to community engagement, and together they help address a critical need affecting thousands of local families.

Blue KC Volunteering

Blue KC Volunteers

One volunteer from Blue KC reflected on their experience:

“I really like this organization. The world needs more places like this. It was great working with my team, and the provided music was a HUGE plus. Thanks so much for the opportunity.”

Volunteer shifts are intentionally designed so that teams can see the direct results of their efforts. In just a few hours, a group can help prepare thousands of products that will soon be distributed through our network of partner agencies.

There is something powerful about watching coworkers work side by side toward a common goal and knowing that every box completed will ultimately support someone in need.

More Than a Volunteer Shift

Many volunteers tell us they are surprised by how much can be accomplished in a relatively short amount of time.

What may begin as a corporate volunteer day often becomes an eye-opening experience that leaves a lasting impression long after the shift has ended.

A Blue KC volunteer shared:

“I love the mission and the dedication behind it. The friendly and helpful staff. The process was amazing. So much can be accomplished in a relatively short span of time. Also, the number of donated materials demonstrating the kindness of others. Truly a rewarding experience.”

Comments like these remind us that volunteering is about more than completing a task. It is about connecting with a mission, understanding a community need, and becoming part of a larger movement dedicated to helping others.

Every product sorted and packaged represents generosity from donors, dedication from volunteers, and hope for the individuals who will eventually receive those items.

The Power of Hygiene

Perhaps the most moving moments in our volunteer sessions occur when someone shares a personal connection to the mission.

Propio Language Services Volunteers

For one volunteer from Propio, the importance of hygiene products was not theoretical—it was deeply personal.

“I spent two years doing archaeology and living out of my car. The feeling of actually being able to take a shower and feel clean is so powerful.”

Their words capture something that statistics alone cannot.

Access to hygiene products affects how people feel about themselves. It impacts confidence when applying for a job, comfort while attending school, and the ability to participate fully in everyday life. Something as simple as a bar of soap or a tube of toothpaste can help restore dignity during difficult circumstances.

At Giving the Basics, we believe everyone deserves access to these essentials. Our volunteers help make that belief a reality every day.

Looking Ahead

As we reflect on the impact made throughout May, we are filled with gratitude for every individual and organization that chose to spend time serving alongside us.

The efforts of 287 volunteers resulted in 236,889 hygiene products being prepared for distribution. Those products will reach people facing challenges we may never fully see, but whose lives will be made a little easier because someone chose to show up and help.

Whether they came as part of a corporate volunteer team, a community organization, or as individuals looking to give back, each volunteer played an important role in strengthening our community.

Together, they demonstrated that addressing hygiene insecurity is not the responsibility of one organization alone. It takes businesses, community groups, donors, volunteers, and advocates all working together to ensure that everyone has access to the necessities they need to thrive.

To every volunteer who joined us in May: thank you for helping transform everyday products into opportunities for dignity, confidence, and hope.

For many volunteers, seeing the scale of need firsthand creates a deeper understanding of why hygiene products matter. Unlike food assistance programs, hygiene items are often not covered by government assistance programs, leaving many families to choose between essentials.

Corporate volunteering allows teams to step away from their desks and make a tangible difference together. Volunteers consistently tell us that the experience is both meaningful and rewarding.

TELUS Volunteers