Fox Cities Chamber: Help For The Homeless' Hygiene Drive Kicks Off February 13!

Press release from the Fox Cities Chamber:

February 1, 2022

Appleton, Green Bay, Wausau/Stevens Point, Sheboygan, Eau Claire WI – 91.9/91.5/91.3/88.5/99.9FM The Family: The Family Radio Networks’ 30th annual ‘Help for the Homeless’ hygiene
drive, Feb. 13 – March 6, is collecting personal hygiene and cleaning products for 100 Wisconsin crisis agencies in 19 Wisconsin communities.

People are encouraged to donate these supplies at work, church, or school or at Festival Foods and Walgreens. Financial donations may be made securely online at TheFamily.net. Annually, more than 850 area businesses, churches, and schools participate by hosting collection boxes. Donations of supplies and financial support will be used in the community where they come from.

“He had nothing. We were able to give him clothing, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, shaving cream, razor and a hot lunch. He wanted to be prepared for job searching the next day. He was so happy, but most of all thankful – the tears in his eyes said it all…along with his very emotional ‘thank you.’” -Crisis Program

“I had a family living in someone’s garage and walking to the nearby gas station to brush teeth and wash up each AM and PM. Mom broke down and wept in my office about how daily living was just so hard. We gave them hygiene supplies from Help for the Homeless...soap, shampoo, lotion, dental care. You would have thought it was Christmas for this family.... mom was so excited and couldn't believe they could clean themselves with actual soap and use their own deodorant. We also worked out a plan with the host family to allow some bathroom time. The things we take for granted!” -School Social Worker

“She knew she smelled bad, people at work were beginning to avoid her. But after rent, car insurance, and diapers, there was no money for laundry detergent, shampoo.... or deodorant.” Quietly, she asked if we had any deodorant, explaining that she missed feeling like part of the ‘team’ and now dreaded the start of each workday. Most of us take antiperspirant for granted, but to this young, single mom - it was life changing. She was beyond grateful for the diapers, wipes, deodorant, and laundry soap!” – Crisis Program

The Family Radio Network partners with area homeless coalitions and crisis programs by inviting the community to donate needed hygiene items for their local agencies through “Help for the Homeless.” Supplying the crisis programs with laundry soap, hair and dental care items, deodorant, diapers, and other personal care and cleaning products makes it possible for them to dedicate their limited financial resources to providing qualified personnel, education, counseling, safe housing, and nutritious food to those they serve. Note: Food Share (formerly Food Stamps) can only be used to buy food – nothing else. Not soap, diapers or toothpaste.

The goal of the drive is to supply a year’s worth of products to each agency. $4.2 million dollars worth of hygiene items have been donated through the event to date. Visit TheFamily.net for more information or call 800-236-9364 to request a collection box.

Donate Supplies at: Festival Foods and Walgreens (as well as work, church, or school) or make a financial donation securely on-line at TheFamily.net February 13 - March 6.

Sponsored in East and Northeast Wisc. by Festival Foods Stores, Fox Communities Credit Union, Expert Real Estate Partners, Integrity Mortgage Group, Allcox and Associates, McCain Foods, US Venture Schmidt Family Foundation, and Fox 11 WLUK. Sponsored in Central and West Central Wisc. by Festival Foods Stores, Buska and Buska Insurance, Century 21 Gold Key Inc., Brokaw Credit Union, and WQOW News 18.

About The Family: The Family Radio Network, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing
contemporary Christian music and programming, as well as community outreach support to Central and Northeast Wisconsin since 1969. The radio network has 11 signals and 5 stations in Wisconsin: 91.9FM WEMI Appleton/Oshkosh, 91.5FM WEMY Green Bay, 91.3FM WSTM Sheboygan, 88.5FM WGNV Wausau/Stevens Point, 99.9 FM Eau Claire. For more information go
to www.thefamily.net.

This press release was produced by the Fox Cities Chamber. The views expressed here are the author’s own.