On September 17, Giving the Basics brought a little friendly competition to the fight against hygiene poverty with our first-ever Soap & Hope Showdown.
Sponsored by Cerris Systems, the event brought together teams from 12 Kansas City-area companies for an afternoon of teamwork, competition and community impact. Teams went head-to-head in hygiene packing challenges at the Giving the Basics warehouse and mini games hosted by Gameshow Battlerooms—all while helping provide essential hygiene products for local students and families.
By the end of the afternoon, participants had packed nearly 70,000 hygiene products for our Kansas City community.
Competition With a Purpose
Soap & Hope Showdown was designed to be more than a traditional volunteer event. We wanted teams to have fun, connect with one another and experience firsthand how a few hours of their time can make a meaningful difference.
Between rounds of packing hygiene essentials, teams faced off in fast-paced Gameshow Battleroom challenges. The result was an afternoon filled with plenty of laughter, team strategy and friendly rivalry.
But behind every challenge was a much bigger purpose: raising awareness about hygiene poverty and helping ensure our neighbors have access to everyday essentials that are too often taken for granted.
The response from participating companies made it clear that the combination of fun, teamwork and purpose resonated.
“Our team had a great time! Such a wonderful event for a great cause. Garney would definitely sign up for this again.”
— Jodi Green, Garney
A Team Experience Worth Repeating
From the competition itself to the chance to connect outside of the office, teams told us Soap & Hope Showdown offered something different from a traditional volunteer day.
“Just want to say today was an amazing event! So well run and a really fun team experience for everyone.”
— Brittany Branch, Kompass Kapital
We also heard from participants that the event format and pacing helped keep teams engaged throughout the afternoon. With September temperatures still running high, the cooling and recharge room gave participants a chance to grab water, snacks and refreshments between rounds.
Jodi Green of Garney shared:
“It was nice to have the cooling/recharge room, water, cocktails, soda and snacks. I think the time frame worked great and the time for each event was perfect as well—especially since it was so hot. Thank you for hosting such a great event!”
— Jodi Green, Garney
KMBC 9 Joins the Showdown
We were also grateful to have KMBC 9’s Kelly Eckerman serve as emcee for our inaugural event and keep the competition moving throughout the afternoon.
KMBC 9 joined us at the warehouse to share the story of Soap & Hope Showdown and help shine a light on the need for hygiene products in our community.
The coverage helped bring attention to a need many people may not realize exists. For students and families experiencing hygiene poverty, access to items like soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, laundry detergent and feminine hygiene products can have a profound impact on confidence, dignity and the ability to participate fully at school, work and in the community.
And the Winners Are…
After six rounds of competition, Cerris Systems earned the title of our first-ever Soap & Hope Showdown champion.
First Place: Cerris Systems
Second Place: Chief of Staff
Third Place: Nebraska Furniture Mart
We also recognized teams whose contributions went beyond the final score:
Teamwork & Collaboration Award: Western Forms, Inc.
Team Spirit Award: Blue KC
Dignity Award: Cerris Systems, recognizing the team that donated the most toward providing hygiene products.
Congratulations to all of our winners—and to every team that brought their energy, teamwork and generosity to the warehouse.
For some teams, the enthusiasm continued well into the next morning.
“They all came in raving this morning about how great it was, and they all said it is one of the most fun events they have been to in a long time.”
— Casey Wright, Chief of Staff
12 Companies. One Community.
Soap & Hope Showdown would not have been possible without the companies that were willing to try something new, rally their teams and compete for a cause.
We are incredibly grateful to each of our inaugural participants:
Lockton
Moonshot Solutions
Oasis Senior Advisors
Airshare
Garney
Capgemini
Kompass Kapital
And a special thank you to Cerris Systems for sponsoring our first Soap & Hope Showdown and helping us turn a new idea into an afternoon of tremendous impact.
Nearly 70,000 Reasons to Celebrate
The trophies were fun. The competition was fierce. But the biggest win of the day was what happened inside thousands of boxes and bags throughout our warehouse.
Together, these teams packed nearly 70,000 hygiene products that will make their way into the hands of Kansas City students and families.
Those products represent more than numbers. They mean a student can walk into school feeling clean and confident. They mean a parent has one less essential item to worry about purchasing. And they mean our neighbors know their community is willing to show up for them.
For our first Soap & Hope Showdown, we could not have asked for a better group of companies to help us prove just how much can happen when teamwork, a little competition and a shared commitment to dignity come together.
Thank you to everyone who helped make year one such a success.
We’ll see you at the Showdown next year!