CHAMPAIGN - Community members across Champaign County helped nearly 1,000 hygiene products reach local families in need during a monthlong donation drive organized by the Illinois Extension office in Champaign.
The Champaign County Extension office hosted its first Hygiene Drive throughout April in support of the CLU-W Hygiene Pantry of Champaign County, collecting personal care and household essentials for individuals and families struggling with the rising cost of basic hygiene items.
By the time the drive wrapped up April 30, volunteers had gathered 139 full-size products and 850 travel-size items for a total of 989 donated goods.
“This is the first hygiene drive that has been led at the Champaign County Extension office, and it was a smashing success,” organizers said in a release announcing the results.
Donations arrived steadily throughout the month as residents stopped by the Extension office with bags of soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant and other daily necessities. Organizers said some community members specifically shopped for the drive before dropping off supplies.
One donor contributed handmade organic soaps and lotions produced for a small business, while others expressed interest in continuing to support the hygiene pantry after the April campaign ended.
The donation box filled quickly enough that volunteers emptied it weekly before transporting items to the CLU-W Hygiene Pantry.
The pantry was established to address the growing financial burden many families face when purchasing basic hygiene products. The organization distributes free hygiene essentials to local residents who may not otherwise be able to afford them.
Illinois Extension officials said the goal of the drive was to help ensure community members have access to products that support health, dignity and well-being.
For more information about the Hygiene Drive, residents can contact Tracy Bowden at tbowden@illinois.edu or Vanessa Jones at vjjones@illinois.edu.
More information about the CLU-W Hygiene Pantry of Champaign County is available at www.cluwhygienepantry.org or by calling 217-249-8971.
