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As the final school bell rings and summer begins, many children feel a wave of freedom. But for families living on the edge of poverty, summer doesn’t mean fun in the sun—it often means losing access to some of the most basic things they need to live with dignity.

At Giving the Basics, we know the school year provides more than lessons and lunch. For thousands of kids, it’s also a quiet but critical safety net—a place where hygiene products are available so they can show up clean, confident, and included. When schools close, that net disappears. But the need doesn’t.

When Clean Becomes a Luxury

Hygiene poverty is a silent crisis. It doesn’t always show up in statistics or headlines—but it shows up in how a kid sits in a room.

It’s the child who stops raising their hand because they’re self-conscious about body odor. The teenager who skips out on their first job interview because they don’t have deodorant or toothpaste. The parent who turns away from a community program because they haven’t had access to shampoo in weeks and feel ashamed.

These aren’t abstract stories—they happen every summer, in every city, and often in silence.

Over the school year, teachers, counselors, and administrators quietly supply kids with hygiene products through programs we support. But in the summer, families are left to fill the gap alone. There’s no classroom drawer stocked with soap. No teacher noticing that a child’s struggling.

And since hygiene products aren’t covered by government assistance programs like SNAP or WIC, families already managing tight budgets are forced to make hard choices: food or toilet paper? Gas money or period products?

What’s Left When School Is Out?

When institutions pause for summer, it’s often community organizations that step up. Food pantries, summer camps, transitional housing, youth programs—they become the new frontline for kids and families trying to maintain normalcy during a season that too often brings instability.

One of those vital organizations is the Police Athletic League of Kansas City (PAL), which offers fun, interactive year-round programs for youth and KCPD officers. Rooted in the belief that all young people deserve the chance to grow, connect, and succeed, PAL provides a wide range of activities—like art club, pickleball, and boxing—that build confidence and motivation while offering strong, positive role models.

Each PAL activity includes a life skills curriculum, and all participating youth are encouraged to maintain a 2.0 GPA or attend tutoring sessions to improve. PAL isn’t just a place to hang out—it’s a space for growth, accountability, and mutual respect between officers and youth.

“Building positive relationships with officers—especially in today’s society—starts at PAL. Some kids wouldn’t go to school, but they’d come to the PAL center.” — (Ret) Sgt. Skip Cox, PAL Executive Director

These aren’t just places for recreation—they’re safe spaces where dignity can be restored. And they rely on something else: us.

Giving the Basics doesn’t take the summer off. Our work ramps up to meet the invisible but very real surge in need. We provide essential hygiene products—no cost, no qualification, no shame—through a web of over 300 community partners, ranging from shelters to city departments.

“One of our PAL kids wasn’t participating in class so his teacher encouraged us to talk to him and he said, ‘When I raise my hands I have pit stains, and that’s embarrassing. I don’t get to shower. I know I smell, and I get bullied. I can’t participate in class because of my hygiene.’ That moment changed everything. We started a $150,000 renovation to the PAL center, creating locker rooms with showers and hygiene products from Giving the Basics available for the kids at any time.” — (Ret) Sgt. Skip Cox, PAL Executive Director

Our Summer Commitment

Hygiene is about more than being clean. It’s about how you’re seen—by others, and by yourself. That truth doesn’t expire in June.

“One bad decision caused by lack of self dignity can snowball into a lot more bad decisions ultimately causing law enforcement to get involved. By stepping in on the front end, providing these kids with essential hygiene supplies, it leads to stronger self dignity and ultimately better decision making.” — (Ret) Sgt. Skip Cox, PAL Executive Director

Here’s how Giving the Basics shows up all summer long:

• We deliver critical hygiene products like shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, diapers, period supplies, and more to organizations serving youth and families over the summer months.
• We work directly with partners filling the void left when school programs end—whether it’s a summer camp for underserved kids, a youth job readiness program, or a transitional housing site for single parents.
• We engage corporate and community volunteers who pack and sort thousands of products for rapid deployment—because logistics matter when dignity is on the line.
• We make donating easy and impactful, helping local businesses and individuals turn in-kind goods and financial gifts into real, immediate relief.
• How You Can Help This Summer

This summer, you can help a kid feel confident enough to show up.
You can help a teen step into their first job with pride.
You can help a parent feel like they’re doing enough for their child.

Here’s how:

Donate — Even $10 can help stock shelves for a local pantry or summer program

Volunteer — Come sort, pack, and deliver hope. Bring your kids. Bring your team. Be the difference.

Learn more — Understand the scope of hygiene poverty, and help us raise awareness. Talk about it. Post about it. Advocate for dignity.

When we give people the basics, we give them the freedom to participate fully in life.
Let’s not let summer be a season of slipping through the cracks.
Let’s make it a season of showing up—for everyone.

All hands in. Always.

What if dignity started with something as simple as deodorant?

At Giving the Basics, we believe it can. Because overcoming hygiene poverty isn’t about luxury—it’s about opportunity. It’s about the quiet ways being clean gives you the confidence to show up for life. And it’s about what happens when that confidence is taken away. This is the story of one stick of deodorant. And of the network of people who turned it into something life-changing.

Where It Begins: A Gap That Shouldn’t Exist

Most people don’t realize this: hygiene products—deodorant, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, pads, toilet paper—aren’t covered by food stamps (SNAP) or most government assistance programs.

That means that for millions of Americans, access to hygiene isn’t guaranteed. It’s a luxury expense on a tight budget. When families are forced to choose between rent, food, or hygiene… hygiene often comes last.

That’s the gap Giving the Basics was built to close.

Arrival: From Generosity to Logistics

Our stick of deodorant could come from anywhere:

• A product partner offloading surplus inventory with purpose
• A community drive hosted by a local school or business
• A donor giving financially so we can purchase exactly what’s needed

It all flows to one place: our centralized distribution hub in Kansas City.

Here, hygiene items don’t pile up—they get processed with care. They become part of a bigger system, designed not just to store, but to move. To match need with supply efficiently, equitably, and fast.

The Hands That Move It: Volunteer Impact in Action

Our deodorant doesn’t sit still for long. It enters a rhythm that only works because of people—volunteers who give their time, attention, and energy to make sure these products get where they’re needed.

Some are:

• Families showing their kids what community means
• High schoolers learning that service is power
• Corporate teams trading desks for something more hands-on
• Retirees who’ve decided their second act is about giving back

At the hub, volunteers inspect, sort, label, and package thousands of products. The work is professional, efficient, and high-impact—but it’s also deeply personal. It’s not just boxes. It’s people in crisis. It’s dignity in a bag.

The Real Heroes: Distribution Partners on the Front Lines

Once packed and ready, our deodorant moves out—bound for the front lines of hygiene poverty.

We partner with more than 2,300 schools, shelters, food pantries, police stations, child welfare agencies, senior centers, and more. These are people and places already embedded in their communities. They know their neighbors. They know the quiet shame of hygiene needs. And they know how to distribute care with dignity.

We don’t ask recipients to prove their worthiness. We don’t create barriers to access. We believe needing help should be enough. This is human infrastructure at work. The kind of network that lifts communities instead of labeling them.

The Last Stop: A Middle School Bathroom. Or a Shelter Room. Or a Job Interview.

Our stick of deodorant finally lands in the hands of someone who needs it.

Maybe it’s a sixth grader who’s been skipping school because classmates tease them for smelling bad. Now they show up every day, raise their hand in class, and start to believe they belong.

Maybe it’s a parent who’s been piecing together travel-size products from gas stations. They can finally walk into work without worrying what coworkers think.

Maybe it’s a woman in a shelter who hasn’t had access to basic hygiene in days. With one small item, she feels like herself again.

That’s the power of hygiene. Clean isn’t shallow. Clean is identity. Clean is readiness. Clean is control in the middle of chaos.

Why It Works: Centralized Distribution, Local Connection

Giving the Basics was built on one mom’s story—on the pain of knowing she couldn’t provide the essentials for her kids. Out of that moment came a model that works:

• Centralized collection and organization of hygiene products
• Community-first volunteer engagement
• Zero-barrier distribution through trusted local partners

It’s simple, sustainable, and scalable. Every product processed, every volunteer hour served, every partner empowered—each one multiplies the impact. And it’s working. We’ve delivered millions of products. But we’re just getting started.

Dignity Is a Chain Reaction. You Can Start It.

Hygiene poverty doesn’t solve itself. It takes people. It takes hands. It takes heart.

When you give a product or an hour of your time, you create a chain reaction:

• A corporate warehouse clears inventory
• A volunteer family spends an hour organizing products
• A school counselor hands a teen a hygiene item
• That teen shows up to class and begins to believe in their future

We’re not just distributing products. We’re building safety nets for dignity. It all connects. And it starts with you.

So the next time you pick up deodorant, remember: for some, that product is the difference between invisibility and possibility. Let’s close the gap. Let’s give the basics.

On Saturday, May 31st in Kansas City, Missouri,  Giving the Basics Founder and CEO, Teresa Hamilton, was honored by the Kansas City Royals’ in a special moment of recognition in their Buck O’Neil Legacy Seat. ⚾💙

This honor is reserved for individuals who embody the spirit of service, compassion, and community leadership—values that Buck O’Neil championed both on and off the field.

Teresa’s unwavering commitment to restoring dignity through hygiene has touched millions of lives across Kansas City and beyond. From students to seniors, her vision continues to ensure that no one has to go without the basics.

Congratulations, Teresa! We’re so proud to be on this journey with you.

Because Periods Shouldn’t Cost a Student Her Dignity

At Giving the Basics, we believe that everyone deserves access to basic hygiene products—no matter their age, background, or financial situation. But one critical need often goes overlooked, even in the broader conversation about hygiene poverty: menstrual products.

That’s why Menstrual Hygiene Day  (May 28) is so important.

This global awareness day aims to break the silence around periods, fight stigma, and highlight the challenges faced by millions of people—especially students—who lack access to menstrual hygiene products.

The Real Impact of Period Poverty 

For too many students, a lack of pads or tampons means missing school, feeling embarrassed, or struggling to focus in class. The result? Lost opportunities, lowered confidence, and a quiet but very real barrier to education and dignity.

At Giving the Basics, we’ve heard these stories firsthand. That’s why menstrual products are among the most urgently needed items we provide to local schools and shelters. These items are not covered by government assistance programs like SNAP or WIC, making community donations absolutely essential.

What We’re Doing—and How You Can Help 

Through your support, we’re able to ensure that students have what they need—not just to get through the day, but to feel human and confident while doing it. In 2024 alone, our donors and volunteers helped provide tens of thousands of period products to students who otherwise might have gone without.

This Menstrual Hygiene Day, here’s how you can help continue that impact:

– Host a period product drive at your workplace, school, or neighborhood group

– Donate tampons, pads, or liners to Giving the Basics   

– Raise awareness on social media using #MenstrualHygieneDay and #DignityForAll

Why It Matters

Periods are natural. Struggling to manage them shouldn’t be. Access to menstrual hygiene is not a luxury—it’s a basic human need. And when we meet that need, we’re not just handing out supplies—we’re giving students the dignity, confidence, and freedom they deserve.

Let’s break the stigma. Let’s bridge the gap. Let’s give the basics.

Watch Giving the Basics On KC Live

Click here to to Watch the KCTV5 story on how hygiene poverty impacts thousands of students, seniors, individuals and families in our community.

Great Day KC

This Week’s WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS Spotlight is Teresa Hamilton, Founder & CEO of Giving the Basics. After over 30 years as VP and Co-owner of Hamilton Plumbing and HVAC, she turned her focus to helping others by providing essential hygiene products to those in need. Hear how her mission continues to restore dignity, proving that even the basics can make a big impact.

Volunteers are the backbone of our mission at Giving the Basics. In 2024, 3,611 volunteers showed up to fight alongside us against hygiene poverty. Without the support of our amazing volunteers, the work we do to help supply hygiene products to people who need them simply wouldn’t happen.

Our mission is big, and our heart is to grow it even bigger. We want to continue serving the people, organizations, and communities we are now, but we envision our fight against hygiene poverty to grow to impact more people in our community and beyond. And to do that, we need all hands on deck.

So here’s our invitation to you: join us! Here at Giving the Basics, we offer a volunteer experience that’s professional, hands-on, and high-impact. Every single one of our volunteers contributes to our mission in real, tangible ways.

We sat down with Bobbie and Roy, volunteers with Giving the Basics, and with Austin Conner, our Head of Logistics, and asked them to share more about the volunteer experience. If our mission resonates with you and you’re curious about getting more involved, read on to learn more about what it’s like to volunteer with Giving the Basics.

Austin Conner, Head of Logistics

What is the volunteer experience like with Giving the Basics?

Austin: The first time you volunteer with us, we’ll give you everything you need to succeed. We’ll show you a short video explaining who we are and what we do, we’ll give you a tour of our warehouse and explain our process. We make sure you understand not just the job you’re doing, but how you’re impacting the work that we do as an organization. Then, we’ll take you to our volunteer room and get you started on whatever role you’re working in. Our volunteer sessions usually last about one and a half hours, sometimes two.

What kinds of volunteer roles are available?

Austin: We welcome anyone who wants to volunteer—any age, any ability. We have many different kinds of projects for many different kinds of people. Some of the main jobs our volunteers do for us include stocking shelves, sorting products we receive after product drives, packaging products so they’re ready to go out to our partners, and filling orders from specific partners when they request hygiene products from us.

How do Giving the Basics Volunteers make an impact on those in need?

Austin: Volunteers are absolutely pivotal to our work. There’s so much work to be done, and without our volunteers, it simply wouldn’t happen. We provide products to organizations like schools, churches, and homeless shelters who are already doing a great job of getting resources to people to help them better their lives, and because of our volunteers, we’re able to continuously provide them the products they need to take care of their people.

What’s the best way to sign up to volunteer?

Austin: There are different options, all on our website. The best entry point is our Community Night, because on our other volunteer nights, we usually only allow people to sign up in groups. If you’re considering volunteering as an individual, Community Night is great because you can sign up as an individual, come do some volunteer work, and see if it’s something you’d like to do more of.

You can also sign up with a group. We often have groups come in from business, churches, or schools, and people always have a great time. It’s a great way to have fun as a group while making a real impact on the city and the community.

What would you say to someone considering volunteering with Giving the Basics?

Austin: When you volunteer with us, you make a huge impact on people’s lives. These hygiene products really matter to people. They represent an opportunity to make a big change in their lives, whether it’s getting clean for a job interview, not getting bullied at school, or even just being able to balance their money enough to pay their medical bills. We’re giving so many people the relief of not having to worry about how they’re going to get clean, and if you volunteer with us, you can be part of that, too.

Bobbie and Roy, Giving the Basics volunteers

What led you to start volunteering with Giving the Basics?

Bobbie: I’m part of a women’s social philanthropic organization called Kansas City Young Matrons, and about 10 years ago, I started volunteering with Giving the Basics with that group. Then, when COVID hit, they had a much more limited number of people who could volunteer, but their need was greater than ever. So, Roy and I started going on our own to help out.

Roy: I volunteer at a food pantry, and the work we did at Giving the Basics seemed similar. We definitely believe in the mission, and honestly, it’s fun to get your hands dirty a little bit. It felt really meaningful from the beginning because you feel like you’re really helping people.

Bobbie: When I volunteer, I want to do something. I want my time to be useful. That was what really appealed to me when I first started going—I always felt very needed. You never just stand around. You feel like you’re really doing something that means something.

Did anything surprise you when you started volunteering?

Roy: I kind of understood what they were doing as an organization, but I didn’t realize just how big their operation is. It’s kind of a big deal. It’s a good organization run by good people, and the amount of impact they’re making is really amazing. It’s just great to be a part of it.

Bobbie: I am sometimes blown away by the number of people they serve and the different populations they reach out to. The school program, which is so important to kids in schools who don’t have hygiene products. The seniors program. The shelters and police programs they support. The difference they’re making in so many areas is just so impressive.

What would you tell someone who’s considering volunteering with Giving the Basics?

Roy: Simple—I’d say come check it out! See what you think. Get a tour.

Bobbie: I’d say the same thing. Come down on a Community Night. Get a feel for what we do. Your time will not be wasted, and your energy is always going to a good cause. You can learn about the experience all you want, but the best way to learn is to come experience it for yourself.

So—come experience it for yourself! Join us for a Community Night, come with a group, or learn more about the other volunteer opportunities we offer. As Roy said—come get your hands dirty with us. Make an impact, and be a part of our mission to battle hygiene poverty in our community and beyond.

Hi there! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? But we’ve been busy—busy building hope, restoring dignity, and ensuring that something as fundamental as hygiene isn’t a barrier to health, success, or happiness for anyone. So, in case we haven’t had the chance to connect recently, we’re here to re-introduce ourselves with a renewed sense of purpose, energy, and, of course, a deep commitment to making hygiene accessible for everyone—no matter their circumstances.

Together, we’ve done so much, but there’s still so much more to be done. So, let’s refresh, re-engage, and dive into how we’re making an impact across the nation.

Who We Are

At Giving the Basics, we are a hygiene hub, on a mission to end hygiene poverty.

But what does that mean? It means we believe that everyone deserves the dignity that comes with feeling clean—whether it’s a child raising their hand in class without fear of embarrassment or a job-seeker walking into an interview confident that their appearance won’t be a barrier to their success. It means providing the most basic of personal care items to those in need—items that many of us take for granted—because hygiene is not a privilege, it’s a right.

Giving the Basics is a powerful network of volunteers, partners, and donors who are committed to providing hygiene essentials at no cost to individuals and families across the country. Through donations of personal care items, logistical partnerships, and a network of distribution points, we make sure that the basics are always within reach for those who need them most.

When it comes to the everyday products that affect our health, dignity, and confidence—everyone deserves them. But some people don’t have them. And that’s where we come in.

What We Do

So, what does all this look like in action?

Last year, we made a difference in the lives of thousands of people—students, families, seniors, individuals experiencing homelessness—and so many more. We focus on one thing: providing hygiene essentials where they are needed most. Our efforts are felt in local pantries, schools, senior centers, police stations, and child welfare agencies, creating hygiene safety nets in communities across the nation.

We believe that by coming together as a community, we can ensure that no one has to face the everyday challenges of life without the basic hygiene essentials to stay clean. Through the incredible efforts of our volunteers, partners, and supporters, we’re building a future where feeling clean is a starting point, not a luxury.

Here’s just a snapshot of the work we’ve done in 2024:

• 3.4 million people served
• 10.7 million products distributed
• 3,611 volunteers making a difference
• 2,376 community partners and locations reached

These numbers don’t just represent quantities—they represent dignity, hope, and a new opportunity for someone to feel confident, clean, and empowered.

Why We Do It

When you ask us why we do what we do, the answer is simple: because everyone deserves the basics.

And sometimes, that simple thing—a bar of soap, toothpaste, toilet paper—can make all the difference in the world. We see it every day in the stories of individuals whose lives are changed by the access to hygiene that so many of us take for granted.

Take, for instance, the story of one of the students we helped last year. This student shared:

“After I received the donations from Giving the Basics, I was coming to school feeling clean and confident. Much better than I had felt in a long time. I started reaching out and talking to people, because I wasn’t afraid anymore of what they would think of my appearance or my smell.”

Hear the full story:

This story is just one of many, and it’s the reason we do what we do every day. Because it’s not just about hygiene products—it’s about hope, dignity, and a fresh start.

Join Us

So, as we re-introduce ourselves, we ask you to come alongside us once more. We invite you to join our mission to eliminate hygiene poverty in America.

Every donation, whether large or small, helps us provide more essential products to people in need. More soap, more deodorant, more toothpaste, and more hope for a better future. It’s simple: when you give, you are empowering dignity, building confidence, and providing an essential stepping stone for health, education, and success. Hygiene isn’t just about cleanliness—it’s about giving people the chance to show up fully in life.

Donate now to make an immediate impact, and let’s continue working together to create a world where everyone has access to the basics. Thank you for taking the time to reconnect with us. Together, we can make 2025 the year we make hygiene poverty a thing of the past. Will you join us?