gtbadmin, Author at Giving the Basics

What It’s Like to Volunteer at America’s Hygiene Hub

9 October 2025

gtbadmin

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Categories: Uncategorized

Corporate Volunteers September 2025

September was a month full of teamwork, energy, and purpose at Giving the Basics, located in Kansas City, Kansas—also known as America’s Hygiene Hub. Our warehouse buzzed with activity as 355 volunteers from 19 corporate groups rolled up their sleeves to help families live with dignity. Together, they packed 325,969 hygiene items, from shampoo and deodorant to soap and toothpaste—each one a small but powerful tool for health and confidence.

Behind the Boxes: The Volunteer Experience

If you step into the warehouse on a volunteer day, you’ll hear laughter, music, and the hum of busy hands turning compassion into action. Volunteers form assembly lines, cheer each other on, and share the satisfaction of seeing pallets fill up—knowing every single item will make a difference in someone’s daily life.

“It’s amazing how such a simple act—packing soap or shampoo—can have such a big impact. You leave knowing you’ve helped a family start their day with dignity.”

“Our company is always looking for meaningful ways to give back. Volunteering at Giving the Basics was hands-on, organized, and uplifting. It’s not just about giving time—it’s about being part of something that truly matters.”

Corporate Volunteering: Team Building That Makes a Difference

For companies and CSR professionals, volunteering with Giving the Basics offers a unique opportunity to combine team building and community service.

Our volunteer shifts are designed to be easy to schedule, fun, and impactful. Groups see immediate results—pallets filled, products counted, and tangible proof that their time and teamwork matter. It’s an experience that strengthens company culture while directly improving lives in the community.

Corporate volunteering also complements corporate donations, creating a full-circle approach to social responsibility. Many groups pair their volunteer day with a product drive or financial contribution, multiplying their impact and inspiring employees through action.

Why Corporate Service Matters

Giving the Basics partners with schools, food pantries, and agencies across Kansas and Missouri to distribute hygiene essentials—items that are often not covered by government assistance programs. These products help students attend school confidently, support families in crisis, and give individuals the chance to move forward with dignity.

When your team volunteers or donates, you’re not just packing items—you’re helping restore dignity across the community.

A Huge Shout Out to Our September Corporate Groups

Lockton
Lockton Companies

Kiewit
Kiewit

Laminate Works

Centerwell Senior Primary Care

KUMC
KUMC – Em Residency

Evergy
Evergy

Join Us: Volunteer, Donate, Make an Impact

If your company is looking for an easy and rewarding way to get involved, corporate volunteering at Giving the Basics is the perfect fit.

Flexible scheduling for corporate groups
Hands-on, high-impact team building
Opportunities to pair volunteer time with corporate donations

Whether you’re leading a CSR initiative, planning a company volunteer day, or simply looking for a meaningful community service project, Giving the Basics makes it easy to turn teamwork into tangible impact.

Learn more and schedule your corporate volunteer experience at GivingTheBasics.org

Behind the scenes of a Dignity Drive

2 October 2025

gtbadmin

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Categories: Donations

Where Do Your Donations Go?

Where Your Donations Go

At Giving the Basics, we often hear people say, “I donated to a hygiene drive—what happens next?” Great question! Here’s a look at how your generosity moves from a donation bin to the hands of people who need it most.

From Donation to Distribution: The Journey of Dignity

Step 1: Collection & Sorting Volunteers and staff receive donated items from drives held by schools, companies, faith communities, and civic groups throughout the community. Products are sorted by category—soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, laundry detergent, and more—to ensure they’re ready for quick distribution.

Step 2: Inventory & Packing Once sorted, items are counted and packed into boxes for our partners. We work closely with schools, shelters, and local organizations to understand exactly what their community needs, so every box is purposeful and efficient.

Step 3: Delivery to Partners Our team delivers hygiene products to more than 300 schools and local agencies that directly serve families, seniors, and individuals in need. These partners are the heart of distribution—they know their communities and ensure items reach the right hands at the right time.

Step 4: Restoring Dignity in the Community This is where the impact becomes personal. A child can return to school with confidence. A parent can go to work without worry. A person experiencing homelessness can feel clean, cared for, and seen. Your donation becomes dignity.

What Your Donations Make Possible

Each product collected represents more than hygiene—it represents compassion, confidence, and hope. Here’s how common items make a difference:

Soap & Shampoo: Help kids feel confident at school and reduce health concerns.
Deodorant: Improves attendance, confidence, and participation.
Toothpaste & Toothbrushes: Encourage healthy habits and reduce dental pain.
Laundry Detergent: Keeps clothing fresh, which improves dignity and employability.
Feminine Care Products: Allow students and adults to participate fully in school and work.

Why Hygiene Drives Matter

Hygiene products are not covered by government assistance programs, which leaves many families struggling to afford the basics. Your drives help us close that gap. When we meet these essential needs, we remove barriers that keep people from living, learning, and working with dignity.

Want to Host a Drive?

Hosting a hygiene drive is a simple, powerful way to rally your team, neighbors, or students around a meaningful cause. We provide everything you need—collection bins, lists of most-needed products, and tips for a successful event. You can also host a Virtual Hygiene Drive, which makes it easy to donate items online and ship directly to our warehouse.

Join the Movement

Whether you donate, volunteer, or host a drive, you’re part of a community that believes everyone deserves dignity. Thank you for making hygiene possible for those who need it most.

Together, we’re turning everyday items into life-changing moments.

Children’s Health Day: Healthy Kids, Happy Boxes

25 September 2025

gtbadmin

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Categories: Events, Hygiene Poverty

Every first Monday in October, we celebrate Children’s Health Day, a time to spotlight what every child deserves: a healthy start and a hopeful future. While much of the conversation centers around medical care, nutrition, and mental wellness, there’s a foundational element we often overlook—access to basic hygiene. At Giving the Basics, we believe that good health starts with dignity, and dignity begins with the simple act of feeling clean.

Why This Matters

Imagine starting your school day without deodorant, without toothpaste, or without clean clothes. It’s a reality many kids face—not because they don’t care, but because hygiene products are simply out of reach. This is known as hygiene poverty, and it’s a growing issue in our communities. Unlike food or medicine, hygiene items aren’t covered by government assistance programs like SNAP or WIC. As a result, countless families are forced to go without soap, shampoo, feminine products, or even diapers.

The impact runs deeper than just physical discomfort. Students experiencing hygiene poverty often struggle with attendance, bullying, and self-worth. In fact, studies show that 42% of students affected by hygiene poverty have missed school, simply because they didn’t feel clean enough to attend. When kids can’t show up confidently, their ability to learn, grow, and thrive is compromised.

Giving the Basics: A Hygiene Charity Making a Difference

Founded with the mission of restoring dignity through hygiene, Giving the Basics works every day to bridge this critical gap. By partnering with schools, food pantries, shelters, and outreach programs, we provide free hygiene orders for schools and families in need. These orders are thoughtfully assembled with essential items like soap, toothbrushes, deodorant, feminine care, and more—items that can transform a child’s day and outlook.

Currently, Giving the Basics serves over 400 schools and agencies across Kansas and Missouri, reaching thousands of students each year. Oue simple, practical model empowers local organizations to stock products where kids can access them quietly—nurse’s offices, school pantries, or guidance centers. It’s an approach rooted in dignity, trust, and community cares.

How Schools Can Join the Mission

Schools are often the first to notice when a child is struggling. Teachers and counselors witness the effects of hygiene poverty firsthand. That’s why Giving the Basics invites schools and nonprofit organizations to apply for free hygiene orders through our program. Registration is quick, and approved schools receive orders on a recurring basis.

Once orders arrive, schools distribute them discreetly to students who need them—often with no questions asked. This approach ensures that kids can focus on learning without the distraction or embarrassment of unmet basic needs. It also fosters a school environment built on compassion and equity.

Celebrate Children’s Health Day in Your Community

Children’s Health Day is the perfect moment to take action—both at home and in your community. Families can mark the day by scheduling wellness checkups, talking with kids about healthy routines, or assembling hygiene orders together to donate.

Community groups can host events that promote hygiene education, provide free health screenings, or organize donation drives for hygiene items.

These small efforts, when multiplied across neighborhoods and schools, can create lasting change. By raising awareness of hygiene poverty and the simple steps we can take to fight it, we build a healthier, more compassionate future for every child.

Why Your Time as a Volunteer Matters

At Giving the Basics, volunteers are the heartbeat of the mission. Every donated hour helps sort hygiene products, assemble orders, and get supplies into the hands of families who need them most. Whether you’re an individual, part of a family, or looking for a team-building opportunity with coworkers, there’s a place for you to serve.

Volunteers don’t just touch hygiene items—they touch lives. They help restore confidence to a student, ease the burden on a struggling parent, and bring smiles to children who simply want to feel like their peers. It’s a hands-on way to make a real difference, one product at a time.

Volunteer with Giving the Basics

This Children’s Health Day, let’s do more than celebrate—let’s step in. Join Giving the Basics in the fight against hygiene poverty by volunteering your time. Weekly shifts are available, along with community volunteer nights and family-friendly opportunities.

Together, we can ensure that every child has access to the basic tools of health, dignity, and happiness. Because healthy kids make happy communities—and it all starts with something as simple as a clean start.

Top Royals Prospects Volunteer at Giving the Basics

24 September 2025

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Categories: Press Room, Volunteer

On Friday, September 20 2025, several Kansas City Royals Organizational Award Winners started their Futures Night by lending a hand to help families in need. Thank you to KMBC 9 News for covering the event and for sharing the experience of one local star, Carter Jensen.

September 2025 Newsletter

18 September 2025

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Categories: Newsletter

Why Hygiene Poverty Matters in 2025

18 September 2025

gtbadmin

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Categories: Uncategorized

Hygiene Poverty 2025

In 2025, the need for access to basic hygiene items has never been greater. Families across the United States are facing tough choices between food, rent, and personal care essentials. Yet hygiene products—soap, deodorant, toothpaste, feminine care—remain excluded from government assistance programs.

This gap has created a hidden crisis. Millions of children, parents, and seniors live each day without the most basic items that shape their health, dignity, and confidence. That’s why Giving the Basics exists. As a Hygiene Charity and 501c3, we connect communities with the everyday products that restore dignity and unlock opportunity.

Hygiene: More Than Clean

Hygiene is not just about being clean, it’s about confidence, belonging, and opportunity. When children lack soap or deodorant, they may avoid school. When adults don’t have toothpaste or laundry supplies, they may miss job interviews or isolate from others.

One student shared the impact of receiving hygiene support at school:

“Before, I didn’t care about myself, how I looked or smelled. My grades and attendance were poor, and I had no friends. Once I had the basics, everything changed—my confidence grew, my friendships improved, and my outlook on life was brighter.”

Student Letter LATCA

That’s why hygiene matters in 2025. It changes more than appearances, it changes lives.

Stories of Transformation

Every delivery of hygiene supplies sparks change far beyond the moment.

A Parent’s Relief

“Something as simple as toothpaste or feminine products means so much when you don’t know how you’re going to afford them. Giving the Basics helps with the things food stamps can’t cover, and that makes all the difference.”

KCIA Parent

A Child’s Confidence

“I like the chapstick, deodorant, and lotion because my mom can’t buy them. Sometimes they have soap so I can wash my clothes. Thank you Giving the Basics.”

KCIA Student

A Fresh Start

“When I was released from prison, I worried I wouldn’t have hygiene items. Giving the Basics eased that stress and gave me confidence to start again.”

Journey to New Life Client

Hope in Hard Times

“During lockdown, when morale was low, we received bags of hygiene products. They weren’t just items—they were love in a bag. They gave us strength for another day.”

Brothers in Blue Client

These testimonies remind us: hygiene supplies are not optional. They are as vital to dignity as food and shelter.

Why It Matters in 2025

For families, hygiene support ensures kids show up to school ready to learn, not burdened by embarrassment. For businesses, it offers a credible and measurable way to make an impact in the community. For partners with surplus products, it creates a direct path to sustainability, tax benefits, and meaningful change.

This year, the stakes are higher than ever. Rising living costs are pushing families to the breaking point. Schools and shelters report increasing needs. And communities everywhere are calling on Charity Organizations to step up with innovative, high-impact solutions.

Giving the Basics is that solution. As a trusted Hygiene Charity and 501c3, we provide a streamlined, proven system that puts dignity directly into the hands of those who need it most.

A Smarter Way to Give Back

We believe charity should be both compassionate and effective.

Measurable Impact: Every bar of soap, every bottle of shampoo, every tube of toothpaste represents a tangible change in someone’s life.
Efficient Partnerships: Businesses and community partners can give with confidence, knowing their investment is used wisely and visibly.
Sustainability and Stewardship: Donated goods are distributed quickly and effectively, ensuring no product goes to waste.

This is what sets Giving the Basics apart from other Charity Organizations. We aren’t simply handing things out—we’re building a pathway to dignity that empowers entire communities.

Your Role in the Movement

The need is urgent, but the solution is within reach. Everyone has a role to play in ending hygiene poverty.

Volunteer: Bring your family, your business team, or your community group to serve together. It’s a powerful way to see firsthand how a Hygiene Charity can change lives. Sign up to volunteer
Donate: Every dollar provides hygiene products for families, students, and seniors who would otherwise go without. As a 501c3, all donations are tax-deductible. Donate today

Hygiene is dignity. Hygiene is opportunity. Hygiene is hope.

In 2025, as the crisis of hygiene poverty deepens, we invite you to stand with us. Together, we can eliminate hygiene as a barrier and build communities where everyone has the basics they need to thrive.

Because when dignity comes first—everything else is possible.

August Community Group Volunteering

10 September 2025

gtbadmin

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Categories: Volunteer

August Volunteers

Brain Science: The Powerful Benefits of Community Service

QHR Christian Family Movement Volunteers

Have you ever noticed how good it feels to help someone else? Whether you volunteer your time, donate essentials, or simply lend a hand, acts of community service spark something powerful inside of us. Science confirms what our hearts already know—helping others is good for the brain.

The Science Behind the “Helper’s High”

When you engage in community service, your brain releases a surge of “feel-good” chemicals like dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins. This rush is often referred to as the “helper’s high.” Researchers have found that volunteering activates the brain’s reward centers in the same way eating your favorite food or hearing your favorite song does. (Source)

In other words, when you volunteer, your brain thanks you.

Stress Reduction Through Giving Back

Serving others doesn’t just make you feel happier—it also lowers stress. Studies show that individuals who regularly participate in community service have lower blood pressure and reduced levels of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. (Source)

When we take time to step outside of our own worries and focus on helping others, our nervous system calms, and our perspective shifts. The act of giving reminds us of the bigger picture, creating space for gratitude and resilience.

Volunteering Strengthens Connection and Purpose

Humans are wired for connection. When you volunteer, you’re not just giving your time—you’re building meaningful bonds with others. Whether it’s packing hygiene kits, serving meals, or tutoring students, acts of community service foster teamwork and belonging.

Brain science shows that social connections are key to long-term happiness. Volunteering provides a sense of purpose and community, which research links to longer life expectancy and improved mental health.

A Win-Win for Everyone

The beauty of community service is that it benefits both the giver and the receiver. When you volunteer, you’re restoring dignity and hope to others, while also improving your own well-being. It’s one of the rare activities in life where everyone wins.

At Giving the Basics, we see this every day. Volunteers leave our warehouse with smiles, laughter, and a renewed sense of joy—because their brains (and hearts) are experiencing the benefits of giving.

Happy Helpers in August

KC Athenaeum Volunteers

We are so thankful to the community groups who volunteered with us in August. In addition to corporate volunteer groups, we hosted a total of 300 volunteers who packed 303,889 hygiene items for people in need. Volunteers are essential to our ability to provide hygiene access to more than 3.4 million people every single month.

Ready to Experience the Science for Yourself?

If you want to boost your mood, lower your stress, and find deeper purpose, try volunteering. Your brain will reward you—and so will your community.

👉 Sign Up to Volunteer with Giving the Basics Today

Bulk Hygiene Product Donations: Space and Impact

10 September 2025

gtbadmin

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Categories: Donations, Hygiene Poverty

Bulk Warehouse Donations for non-profilts

In today’s fast-paced supply chain environment, manufacturers and distributors are always looking for ways to optimize warehouse space, manage inventory, and maximize impact. For those in the hygiene product sector, partnering with a 501(c)(3) hygiene charity like Giving the Basics offers a unique opportunity: you can free up valuable warehouse space while making a tangible, life-changing difference for individuals and families in need.

At Giving the Basics, we are proud to announce that we now have the space and capacity to accept large bulk donations of critical hygiene products, including full truckloads. For manufacturers and distributors, this means you don’t have to let surplus or slow-moving product take up valuable real estate in your facility. Instead, you can put those products to work changing lives.

Why Bulk Hygiene Donations Matter

When people think of basic needs, food and shelter usually come to mind. Yet hygiene items are just as essential. Toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, and laundry soap all play a vital role in health, dignity, and confidence. Unfortunately, these items are not covered by government assistance programs like SNAP, leaving millions of people without consistent access.

By donating truckloads of hygiene products, corporations can fill this critical gap. Your corporate donations ensure that individuals don’t have to choose between paying rent and buying soap, or between putting food on the table and providing clean clothes for their children.

Impact at Every Level

One of the unique strengths of Giving the Basics is our reach. Thanks to our warehouse capacity and national partnerships, your bulk donations can make an impact at every level:

Local (Kansas City Metro): We distribute hygiene products directly to schools, shelters, and pantries serving families in our own community. Thousands of Kansas City students can walk into classrooms feeling clean and confident because of these donations.
Regional (Midwest): Through our expanding partnerships, bulk donations ripple out to surrounding states, amplifying your corporate impact across the Midwest.
National: Working with partner distributors nationwide, we can ensure your donated truckloads extend far beyond Kansas City. These products reach families in rural areas, urban centers, and communities facing urgent need all across the country.

This is not just a local act of generosity—it’s a nationwide movement of dignity, confidence, and hope.

A Win-Win for Manufacturers and Distributors

For manufacturers and distributors, donating in bulk is both practical and powerful. Instead of absorbing costs for storage, disposal, or markdowns on excess product, you can contribute to a 501(c)(3) hygiene charity that specializes in efficient distribution.

Giving the Basics has the warehouse space, volunteer power, and logistics network to handle truckload-sized donations quickly and effectively. That means your products move seamlessly from your shelves to the people who need them most.

Big Donations. Big Impact.

The scale of your donations directly translates to the scale of impact. One truckload of hygiene products doesn’t just help a handful of families—it can serve thousands of people for months at a time. These are critical donations that change the trajectory of lives, improving health outcomes, school attendance, employability, and overall well-being.

And the impact is felt on both sides: your organization saves space and resources, while communities nationwide gain access to dignity and hope.

Partner with Us

At Giving the Basics, we believe in the power of partnership. When manufacturers and distributors align with nonprofits like ours, everyone wins—families in need, communities across the country, and your organization.

If you are a manufacturer or distributor with hygiene products ready to move, we invite you to partner with us. Together, we can transform excess inventory into life-changing corporate donations. With our expanded warehouse capacity, we are ready today to accept your truckloads of critical hygiene items and ensure they reach those who need them most.

Giving the Basics is a 501(c)(3) hygiene charity headquartered in Kansas City with a mission to provide dignity, confidence, and health through access to hygiene products. Your bulk hygiene product donations are more than just space savers—they are life changers.

Contact us today at procurement@givingthebasics.org to arrange your donation and make a big impact—locally, regionally, and nationally.

Corporate Volunteering: Team Building Fun

4 September 2025

gtbadmin

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Categories: Events, Volunteer

Newmark Zimmer Volunteers

At Giving the Basics, we know that strong communities are built when people come together to serve. That’s why corporate volunteering has become such an important part of our mission. When employees volunteer with us, they’re not just giving back through community service—they’re also building stronger, more connected teams.

Why Corporate Volunteering Matters

Corporate volunteer opportunities give employees the chance to step outside their normal routines and connect with each other in new ways. Packing hygiene products, organizing shelves, or preparing boxes for schools may seem simple, but the teamwork, laughter, and problem-solving that happen in the process are powerful.

Volunteering as a team helps companies:

Build trust and collaboration – Serving side by side encourages stronger workplace relationships. Newmark Zimmer (Kansas City)
Boost employee morale – Giving back through community service creates pride and fulfillment.
Develop leadership skills – Corporate volunteering puts employees in new roles where they can grow.
Strengthen company culture – Showing a commitment to the community builds loyalty inside and outside the office.

August Volunteer Impact

This August, we welcomed 21 incredible corporate groups into our warehouse in Kansas City, many of them volunteering more than once! Together, more than 300 volunteers packed 303,889 hygiene items that directly support students, families, and individuals in need.

The passion and heart our volunteers bring is felt in every product packed. Here’s what a few of them shared:

Core Catalysts Volunteers

“This was my first time volunteering for this organization, and I am blown away by the impact and work being done here. My heart is full to give back and help those in need and I am grateful to help this incredible group perform its mission. Thanks!” – Core Catalysts LLC

The University of Kansas Health System Volunteers

“This is a great program. I have definitely known people who have needed the basics, and traded food stamps for them. They were in positions that could have cost them everything.” – The University of Kansas Health System

“As a former school nurse, I have seen the impact of providing these basics to students and families. It truly makes a difference and is so needed. In addition to being an opportunity for the student to connect with a trusted adult.” – The University of Kansas Health System

“My mom used to tell me stories of how she was bullied as a kid because her family was too poor to shower. Volunteering here really put into perspective what she went through. I am so glad to support an organization that provides this in KC!” – The University of Kansas Health System

“It is heartbreaking to know that every one of the hundreds of tubes of toothpaste that I touched today will go to someone who otherwise wouldn’t have any. Thank you for being here to do this and allowing us to help.” – The University of Kansas Health System

Corporate Donations Multiply the Impact

When companies combine corporate donations with volunteer hours, the impact is even greater. Financial support provides thousands of hygiene essentials—like soap, deodorant, shampoo, and toothpaste—while volunteer time helps us prepare and distribute them to schools, shelters, and families in need.

Newmark Zimmer

Newmark Zimmer volunteers celebrating how much they have collected so far

One shining example is Newmark Zimmer. Not only has their team volunteered with us more than four times this year, but they also rallied their friends and colleagues to raise over $30,000 for essential hygiene items. This incredible generosity means tens of thousands of products went directly into the hands of students, families, and individuals who would otherwise go without.

Stories like theirs remind us that corporate giving isn’t just about writing a check or showing up once—it’s about creating a ripple effect of care and dignity that transforms entire communities.

Together, corporate volunteers and donations ensure dignity is restored to those experiencing hygiene poverty in our community.

More Than Team Building—It’s Community Building

One of the best parts of hosting volunteer groups is watching teams leave energized and inspired. Employees don’t just return to the office with stronger bonds; they also carry a renewed sense of purpose, knowing they’ve helped meet a critical need through meaningful community service.

A huge thank you to all of the volunteer groups who joined us in August:

KPMG Volunteers

Henderson Engineers Volunteers

H&R Block Volunteers

Cerris Systems Volunteers

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Volunteers

NFM Volunteers

Trevipay Volunteers

Symplr Volunteers

Amazon FOE 1

NorthPoint Development

Kansas City Business Journal Volunteers

Get Involved

If your company is looking for a unique team building activity that combines fun, purpose, and impact, consider volunteering with Giving the Basics. Whether through corporate volunteering, corporate donations, or both, your team can help students, families, and individuals in Kansas City live with dignity.

👉 Sign Up Your Group to Volunteer Today

Charity Day: How You Can Make an Impact Too

2 September 2025

gtbadmin

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Categories: Events, Hygiene Poverty

International Charity Day

There’s something powerful about knowing your small act of kindness can create a ripple effect. Whether it’s donating a bar of soap, showing up to volunteer, or organizing a drive at work, these moments of giving add up to real change. In a world that often feels divided or overwhelming, charity reminds us that we’re still connected—that we still have the power to help someone else. That’s why days like the International Day of Charity matter. They remind us not only to care, but to act.

Every year on September 5, the world observes the International Day of Charity, a global call to action inspired by the life and legacy of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. This day was established by the United Nations in 2012 to raise awareness and encourage charitable work across the globe. The date honors Mother Teresa’s passing and her lifelong mission to serve the poorest of the poor with compassion and dignity. Her legacy is a reminder that even small acts of charity—whether through time, resources, or care—can leave a lasting impact.

Learn more at the official International Day of Charity website.

The United Nations created this observance to mobilize individuals and organizations around the world to help others through volunteering and philanthropy. The goal is simple: promote solidarity, strengthen communities, and empower people through acts of giving. You can learn more about the meaning behind this global movement at the UN site.

The UN chose this date not only to honor Mother Teresa, but to highlight the crucial role that charity organizations and individuals play in tackling global challenges—like hunger, education, and health. It’s a reminder that generosity doesn’t require wealth or status. It begins with the choice to care—and then to take action. Whether you’re donating goods, volunteering your time, or encouraging others to get involved, you become part of a global movement of people lifting each other up in meaningful, lasting ways.

That kind of impact doesn’t have to start on the other side of the world—it can start right here at home. At Giving the Basics, we make it easy for anyone to get involved in a hands-on, meaningful way. You can volunteer to pack and sort hygiene items at our warehouse, organize a Dignity Drive at your workplace or school, or bring a group to serve together. Whether you’re an individual looking to give back, a family wanting to serve together, or a company building a culture of compassion, there’s a place for you here. Every hour you serve and every item you help collect ensures someone in our community has access to the dignity of basic hygiene. That’s how you can make an impact—right here, right now.

Visit givingthebasics.org to explore how you can volunteer or support our mission. Whether you come once, bring a team, or join us regularly, you’ll be making a real difference. Let’s honor the spirit of this global day with local action. Because when you give the basics, you give dignity—and that’s how you can make an impact.