Donations

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.

Driving Dignity: How Kia’s Corporate Donation is Helping Fight Hygiene Poverty

Partner Spotlight: Kia America and the Accelerate the Good Program

At Giving the Basics, we fight hygiene poverty—the lack of access to essential hygiene products like soap, shampoo, deodorant, and toothpaste. These basic items may seem small, but for the children, families, and individuals we serve, they are life-changing.

Through the support of corporate donations, we’re able to reach more people, distribute more products, and expand our impact through Kansas, Missouri, and numerous other states across the country. One of the companies helping us do just that is Kia America.

Kia’s Corporate Giving is Fueling Change

As part of their national Accelerate the Good initiative, Kia America provides regional grants to nonprofit organizations that are making a real difference. When their Central Region team looked for partners to support, Giving the Basics was a natural fit.

“Giving the Basics helps people with basic, but critical, needs,” Russell Wager, vice president of marketing at Kia America shared. “Our goal was to find an organization aligned with our mission to deliver real community impact through corporate donations.”

Their generous support has allowed us to expand hygiene access to thousands of individuals struggling to meet their most fundamental needs—especially children in schools who are often too embarrassed to participate because they lack hygiene products.

A Shared Mission: Ending Hygiene Poverty

Hygiene poverty affects millions in the U.S., yet it often goes unseen. Children miss school, adults miss work, and families face shame over something as simple as not having soap or period products.

Kia America’s corporate giving strategy focuses on measurable social impact, and their investment in Giving the Basics aligns perfectly.

“Through Giving the Basics’ work to bring improved health, hope, and dignity to struggling children and adults, we knew they would be a great partner for us,” Wager said.

By supporting our mission, Kia is helping us to consistently meet the customized needs of more than 1,200 schools, shelters, police stations and pantries every single month. Their generosity has a ripple effect that is providing hygiene access to more than 3 million people.

Why Corporate Donations Matter—For Communities and Companies

At Giving the Basics, we see firsthand how corporate donations create lasting change for families in need—but we also know how powerful that support can be for the businesses who give.

Wager encourages other companies to get involved in the fight against hygiene poverty, emphasizing that the rewards go far beyond philanthropy:

“Supporting nonprofits like Giving the Basics is incredibly important. Providing hygiene products might seem simple, but many families are in crisis—and it’s comforting to know there’s a nonprofit actively helping during hard times.”

But the benefits aren’t just felt by the people receiving hygiene products. Corporate giving also creates real value for the companies doing the donating:

• ✅ Boosts Brand Reputation:
  Consumers and clients are increasingly loyal to brands that prioritize social impact. Partnering with a nonprofit like Giving the Basics demonstrates authentic commitment to addressing urgent community needs—like hygiene poverty—while strengthening public trust.
• ✅ Enhances Employee Engagement:
  Corporate donations often go hand-in-hand with volunteer opportunities and community involvement, which are proven to improve morale, retention, and team cohesion. When employees see their company making a tangible difference, they feel more connected to their work—and to each other.
• ✅ Creates Meaningful Community Partnerships:
  By supporting a mission-driven nonprofit, companies become part of a broader network of organizations working toward shared goals. These relationships can open doors for future collaborations, cross-sector partnerships, and new opportunities to make a difference locally.
• ✅ Drives Purpose-Driven Growth:
  Today’s customers—and employees—want to align with businesses that stand for something. Supporting nonprofits like Giving the Basics allows companies to live out their core values in visible, measurable ways, making social responsibility a foundational part of business strategy.

Gratitude for a Lasting Partnership

“Seeing the impact of our donation in the communities supported by Giving the Basics has been awesome,” Wager shared. “We’re proud to support their mission.”

We’re equally proud to call Kia a partner. Their belief in ending hygiene poverty through consistent, strategic giving is making a measurable difference.

To learn more about Kia’s Accelerate the Good initiative, visit
kia.com/acceleratethegood.

Be Part of the Solution

Your company can join Kia and others in the fight against hygiene poverty.

Whether through corporate donations of dollars or products, employee volunteerism, or product drives, your business can help restore dignity and change lives.