Hygiene Kit Operation

This is a Hygiene Kit

Of the many charitable operations we've been a part of, one of the most successful and adaptable functions we've seen is the creation and distribution of hygiene kits, much like these. When you are living on the street, with no private bathroom to call your own, having a compact, secure, and easily mobile set of simple hygiene materials is a necessity. There is no absolute standard to what can go into one of these kits, but the basics generally include a Toothbrush with cap and Toothpaste, Deodarant, Shaving Razor (double or triple bladed), Mini-Shampoo, Mini- Conditioner, Lotion, Sanitizer, and a bar of Soap. Additional items may include a pair of socks, portable toilet paper, or cue-tips, it's really up to what can be found an afforded.

These bags are on display to serve 2 Functions:
1. To show you what the majority of your donations are going towards,
2. To allow you the opportunity to join the fun and make your own!

Almost everything we find we get at the local Dollar Tree. Here is our procedure:

Buy a box of Galloon Sized Zip Lock Baggies (10 bags = $1.00)
Buy 10 Tubes of Toothpaste ($1.00 each = $10.00)
2 five packs of Tooth Brushes with Caps ($1.00/pack = $2.00/ 10 tooth brushes)
10 Bars of Deodorant ($1.00 each = $10.00)
1 ten pack of double edge razors ($1.00)
3 three packs of bar soap ($1.00/ 3pack = $3.00/ 9 bars of soap)
5 two packs of Hand Sanitizor ($1.00/pack = $5.00)
10 2-in-1 Shampoo/Conditioner Bottles ($1.00 each=$10.00 *You can find smaller bottles to seperate the big bottles into, or you can get little shampoos and conditioners from hotels*)
10 little packets of Paper Napkins ($1.00/pack = $10.00)


The total cost of this venture is $52.00 and it will make a complete bathroom kit for 10 houseless individuals, but it doesn't necessarily have to cost this much; other deals can be found at Big Lots, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or other Dollar Store and Family Dollar locations. Also, the packs you make do not have to contain everything listed here, for many of the men and women who are homeless a simple pair of socks, razor, and shaving cream are more than enough, or simply a kit for washing their hair and face, let your imagination do the work. Just consider that if you were homeless and only had a public restroom or river to bathe in, what would be useful and helpful? That's how we started, and that's the best place to start.

Thank you for your consideration and participation. If you put together these kits on your own, please let us know and you can come with us to hand them out directly to those who would need and appreciate it.

Sponsored and Endorsed by:
P.U.S.H. (People United to Stop Homelessness) - www.pushsjc.com
Inversehalo - www.inversehalo.com
Feed The People - www.feedthepeople.ning.com
You can call us at 904-292-2100 and ask for the Charity Specialist, Thank you

Christmas expansion plans 2009

Outline from the Inversehalo Network:

Basic...

Bring Christmas to the outer areas of St. Augustine and St. Johns county. Serve a hot meal, cocoa, and distribute (donated) gifts to the homeless or impoverished in those areas. This allows for two strong concepts to come into focus: 1. Locations picked for Christmas, will become permanent locations for 'Lon's mobile kitchen'. 2. The community of St. Johns county will be more aware of the efforts being made to help the homeless. Which eventually sets a new standard of awareness and compassion from the 'community'.... Both of these concepts are vital for pushing forward and expanding the routine of what PUSH,FNB,Resurrection episcopal, and Inversehalo have been doing for the last 3 months. As I have mentioned before, getting to these people on the outskirts is vital to solving certain issues of health, despair, and hopelessness. Issues that everyone of us have seen while working on the census. The areas that have been chosen so far are: 1. North St. Augustine (Winn-Dixie parking lot) 2. South St. Augustine (Big-Lots parking lot) 3. 207 (across from the Epic movie theater) 4. the Main Plaza Downtown 5. Hastings (this area will be more defined after talking to the OURS center) Items that have to be thought about: Food (what kind, how much, etc) Gifts (Jenn had a good idea about getting 'churches' involved to buy particular items...) Distribution (whose really available, and where should they go?)


End Results:

1. The problem with the turn out in Hastings, is the result of us being under the assumption that their was a foundation to properly stand upon. Within the St. Augustine area P.U.S.H. and Inversehalo represent the proper foundation by which these kinds of activities have come about... I believe that the meeting next week with some of the people from Hastings will show exactly what I'm talking about...

My opinion about Hastings is that it should be taken off of the mobile kitchen list until certain "problems" are first resolved. The area is too unstable to be worked upon at this time.

2. The locations for 207+ Holmes and 312 @ Big Lots went just as planned. Although, as for a permanent spot for future feedings, the 'drop-in center' would make a better spot. I'm sure permission would need to be asked, first...

3. The Winn-Dixie Location also did well, and continuing to feed this area should start ASAP. This should also expand into the State Rd 16 area considering that many of the people who showed up to Winn-Dixie also were from the St. Rd. 16 area.

Overall, the entire venture went as planned (of course). There are some specific jobs that need to be set in stone, such as someone to monitor all the sites. Also, there needs to be a reliable list of volunteers that will control each site.

Our FINAL ANALYSIS:

we created 'FEED THE PEOPLE' : to visit click here