📺 Big news to kick off back-to-school season! We’re honored to share on ‪@kctv5‬ that Giving the Basics is now providing essential hygiene items to every single school district in Kansas—helping more than 490,000 students start the year with confidence. From deodorant and toothpaste to soap and shampoo, these basics restore dignity, improve attendance, and give kids the chance to focus on learning. None of this would be possible without our amazing partners, donors, and volunteers—thank you for being part of this impact!
School Hygiene
Monthly Giving Helps Us Deliver Hygiene to Schools All Year
As students prepare to return to the classroom, most are picking out new backpacks, shopping for school supplies, and looking forward to a fresh start. But for thousands of children across our region, back-to-school season is filled with anxiety—not about academics, but about hygiene.
At Giving the Basics, we know that clean hair, fresh breath, and basic self-care aren’t luxuries—they’re essential to a student’s success. That’s why we launched the Back to School Basics campaign—to invite supporters to become a part of the long-term solution in providing customized hygiene orders (not one-size fits all kits) for schools.
And it starts with one simple but powerful act: becoming a monthly donor.
Why Monthly Giving Makes the Biggest Impact
When you give monthly, you become more than a donor—you become a cornerstone of our mission. You ensure that kids have what they need not just for the first day of school, but every single day after that.
Here’s how your consistent support helps:
âś… Make a Year-Round Impact
Many students in our community rely on schools not only for meals and safety—but also for personal care. Your monthly gift ensures that every student has regular access to hygiene items that help them feel clean, confident, and ready to learn.
âś… Support Smart, Sustainable Growth
Monthly donations help us plan ahead and reduce costs. With predictable support, we can respond faster when schools request more products, expand to new districts, and reduce administrative overhead.
âś… Be Part of a Community That Cares
You’ll join the Hygiene Hub Club—a group of compassionate individuals committed to restoring dignity and confidence to children and families across the region.
Why Join the Hygiene Hub Club?
When you choose to give monthly, you become an essential part of our Hygiene Hub Club—a dedicated community of supporters helping us bring dignity, confidence, and health to over 1,200 schools, pantries, and shelters throughout our region. As a valued member, you’ll receive a personalized welcome packet, inspiring updates that show the real impact of your generosity, and exclusive invitations to special events that connect you even more deeply to our mission.
Who Are You Helping With Your Monthly Gift
Imagine this…a 12 year old girl, doing her best to make good grades as well as friends. In her home, soap is a luxury that mom can’t afford. At school, she fears the whispers of classmates—her hair unwashed, no deodorant. When her period hits, she uses folded tissues, skipping class to avoid shame. But she isn’t alone, thousands face this struggle every day.
With the help of Giving the Basics donors, students like her are finding relief, confidence, and dignity. Here is the story of one student who received the basics:
“Having access to hygiene products at school has really helped me. There were times I didn’t have what I needed, and it was embarrassing to ask for help. But thanks to Giving the Basics, I could get things like shampoo, deodorant, and even tampons without feeling ashamed. It made me feel more confident and comfortable at school. I’m really grateful for the support.”
When you give monthly, you’re helping students like this one every single month.
Why It Matters Now
Demand is surging—and in 2025 alone, over 225 Kansas schools have partnered with us to receive hygiene items. From students missing class to low self-esteem and health risks, the effects of hygiene poverty ripple far and wide.
“There’s nothing worse than seeing a student avoid participation because of body odor or lack of supplies,” one educator shared. “Access to hygiene changes everything.”
While back-to-school season is a natural moment to step up support, hygiene poverty doesn’t disappear after September. Monthly giving is how we keep up. It’s how we ensure no child walks into a classroom worrying about body odor or unwashed hair. It’s how we help students show up—*and belong.*
Ready to Join?
For as little as $12 a month, you can provide shampoo, feminine hygiene, and deodorant for a student.
For $25 a month, you can provide a full hygiene package with all the basics.
No matter your amount, your commitment creates lasting change.
🎒 This back-to-school season, let’s go beyond supplies. Let’s give confidence. Let’s give dignity. Let’s give the basics—together.
Why We Don’t Do Hygiene Kits the Traditional Way
How Our Customized, Dignity-First Approach Changes Lives—One Order at a Time
In the world of nonprofits, “hygiene kits” have become a go-to solution for well-meaning individuals and organizations looking to support those in need. A pre-packed bag of soap, toothpaste, and shampoo feels like a quick, helpful fix. But at *Giving the Basics*, we’ve learned that hygiene poverty isn’t one-size-fits-all—and neither should the solution be.
Instead of packing identical kits, we partner directly with schools, shelters, senior centers, police departments, and more to create monthly, customized orders tailored to their specific needs. It’s not the traditional way—but it’s the way that ensures every product makes the greatest possible impact.
Why Traditional Hygiene Kits Fall Short
Imagine you’re a school nurse. You’ve got 20 students who need help this month—but 10 need deodorant, 5 are looking for period products, and a few boys just asked for shaving razors. Then you receive 25 hygiene kits filled with the same soap, comb, and travel-sized shampoo. Half of it will sit unused, while your students still go without the dignity they deserve.
That’s why we flipped the model.
Our nonprofit doesn’t distribute pre-packed hygiene kits. Instead, we let our partners order exactly what they need, when they need it.
This approach not only reduces waste, but ensures every donated product finds the right hands at the right time. It restores dignity in a way that truly meets people where they are.
Eliminating Barriers for Students
For many parents and caregivers, the idea that a child would miss school—or be too embarrassed to participate—because they don’t have soap or deodorant is heartbreaking. It’s one thing to hear about academic barriers, but it’s another to learn that a lack of hygiene essentials is what’s holding a student back.
That’s why our approach matters. Instead of sending one-size-fits-all hygiene kits that may not meet a school’s needs, we work directly with school nurses and counselors to provide the exact items students are asking for. That means when a child builds up the courage to say, “I need toothpaste,” or “Do you have pads?”—we’re ready.
For those who want their giving to make a tangible, personal impact on the lives of kids and families, our model ensures that every donation turns into dignity.
It’s Flexibility—and Follow-Through
Companies and donation managers often want their contributions to go farther—to be fast, flexible, and clearly impactful. That’s exactly what we’re built for.
By not relying on traditional hygiene kits, we’re able to respond in real time. When someone offers a large donation of toothpaste or deodorant, we can say “yes” without hesitation—and quickly get those products into the hands of those who need them most.
We also take the time to show how it made a difference, with transparent impact reports and consistent communication. Our partners know that their generosity is respected, stewarded well, and deeply appreciated.
When giving back is part of your role—or your company’s culture—you want to work with a nonprofit that treats you like a true teammate. That’s us.
Why It Works
Our customized model makes us more than a hygiene nonprofit—we become a reliable, relationship-driven partner.
- Schools know their students will get the products that reduce bullying, increase attendance, and boost self-esteem.
- Shelters can serve clients with dignity, offering period products or razors without hesitation.
- Senior centers don’t get stuck with items their residents won’t use—they get what brings comfort and confidence.
- Police officers have what they need in the moment when they’re helping someone in crisis.
This is what Dignity Delivered really looks like.
Want to Help? Here’s How.
If you’ve ever packed a hygiene kit before, we love your heart—and we invite you to go one step further:
- Host a product drive and collect the most-needed items from our current list
- Volunteer with your group to sort and prepare customized orders for pickup
- Donate monthly so we can respond to evolving needs all year long
- Partner as a business to make a bigger, more lasting community impact
With your help, we’re not just distributing products. We’re restoring dignity. One order at a time.
Back to School Basics
As kids head back to school, many face a challenge we don’t always see: lack of basic hygiene essentials. Without soap, deodorant, or toothpaste, it’s hard for them to feel confident and focus in class. Thanks to your generosity, we’re helping students meet these needs — but the demand is ongoing. For just $12/month, you’ll provide shampoo, deodorant, and feminine hygiene items to a student who can’t afford them. You’ll help them walk into school with confidence. You’ll give them a chance to learn and thrive.
Click Here to become a monthly donor and be a steady source of support for students in need.
How School Partnerships Help Us Fight Hygiene Poverty Year-Round
At Giving the Basics, we believe every student deserves to feel clean, confident, and cared for—every single day. That’s why our partnerships with local schools are such a vital part of our mission.
When schools provide students with basic hygiene products—things like soap, toothpaste, deodorant, or feminine hygiene items—they’re offering more than just cleanliness. They’re giving kids the dignity to show up, speak up, and be fully present in their education. And when school lets out for summer? That support still matters. Because hygiene poverty doesn’t take a break.
Supporting Students All Year Long
One of our school partners is Ruskin High School in Kansas City, serving over 1,400 students. Sam, the Family School Liaison, manages the distribution of hygiene products at the school—and sees the impact of our partnership every single day.
“Every day, a student comes up and asks if I have something. It might be deodorant. It might be shampoo. It’s constant,” Sam shared. “Giving the Basics has been amazing in helping us meet those needs—month after month.”
Over the past several years, Giving the Basics has provided monthly hygiene product deliveries, which Sam organizes and distributes directly to teachers, coaches, the SPED department, and any student who asks. In fact, many students know they can come to the office whenever they need something—no questions asked.
“We have a Giving the Basics poster up so they know where to go. It makes them feel comfortable asking, and that’s everything.”
Removing Barriers to Attendance and Learning
For students experiencing hygiene poverty, school can be a place of stress and shame. If they don’t have deodorant or feminine hygiene products, they may avoid attending altogether. That’s where Giving the Basics steps in.
“This is a low-income school,” Sam explained. “And for a lot of our students, the cost of hygiene products is one more thing holding them back. When you remove that barrier, it actually makes them want to come to school.”
By helping students meet their basic needs, we’re also helping them feel seen, valued, and ready to learn. Sam told us about a student who wrote a letter after receiving Giving the Basics items. In it, the student explained how their family was now able to save money for rent because they didn’t have to choose between buying soap or paying bills.
That’s the real cost of hygiene poverty. And that’s the real power of our partnerships.
Summer Doesn’t Stop the Need
Many of our school partners—like Sam’s—serve students even during school breaks. That means the need for hygiene items doesn’t slow down in the summer. In fact, it often grows.
“We have students and families reaching out over the summer too. And when that happens, Giving the Basics is still here. We’ve been able to send home care packages with the students who need them and we have staff in the building to get the families what they need.”
Through reliable, ongoing support, Giving the Basics helps schools serve as a steady source of dignity—even when school isn’t officially in session.
Looking Ahead
Sam handles most of the distribution at her school, ensuring that items go to the right people at the right time. Teachers, coaches, and school staff know she has the supplies—and they trust her to meet student needs with discretion and care.
“The teachers don’t usually hand it out themselves—I do that. Students know they can come directly to me. They know we have it. That awareness is so important.”
And the impact? It goes beyond the classroom.
“Parents are so excited to know these products are available. They feel supported. That’s huge.”
As Sam looks toward the future, she says the school’s goal is simple: maintain the partnership and continue providing for students.
“We want Giving the Basics to know the difference they’re making here. It’s not just a delivery—it’s real, tangible help for families who need it. We hope to keep this partnership strong for a long time.”
For other schools thinking about partnering with Giving the Basics, Sam’s message is clear:
“If you can take away even one barrier—like hygiene—you’re giving kids the chance to just be kids. They shouldn’t feel like they can’t be clean. Everyone deserves that.”
How You Can Help
Giving the Basics supports schools across the country by providing hygiene products at zero cost, with zero qualification. Whether you’re a parent, educator, business, or community member, you can help support students and families in your area by donating hygiene items or funds to help stock school shelves, requesting hygiene products for your school or organization, or learning more about our mission to eliminate hygiene poverty across the U.S. When you help provide the basics, you’re giving back something no one should go without—dignity, confidence, and a clean start. Let’s keep showing up. All year long. All hands in.
