Since first working together back in 2013, our partnership with Colgate-Palmolive has become one of our most important and beneficial corporate partnerships in volunteerism. In addition to regurlarly taking part in our PB&J sandwich-making efforts and volunteering at any number of our monthly community events, Colgate does something with us that really makes everyone smile.

Teams of volunteers will spend hours of their time preparing personal care and hygiene kits for our clients who may not have the means to purchase these essential everyday items. These kits hold full-size products, including soap, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste. All of the products were generously donated by Colgate.

While many of us don't have to think much about buying these everyday basic necessities, they make a world of difference to those who struggle to make ends meet, living from paycheck to paycheck, who are on a fixed income...or have no income at all!

These personal care kits get distributed throughout the St Francis Pantries network in a variety of ways. The Encore Senior Center, for instance, basket up these (and other) products in nice packaging and hold a raffle, which engages the seniors they serve and fosters a real sense of fun and community. Other St Francis pantries and shelters distribute them to their regular clients, saving them money they can use to purchase food and other necessities. Still other locations hand them out to street people in dire need of any kind of assistance.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who take part in this project and a very special thank you to Nicole Tsemelis for helping us to coordinate an awesome effort!

Colgate's generous donations are delivered to our warehouse where the boxes are stacked to the ceiling.	Generous volunteers take time out of their day to gather the products into kits.
Bags upon bags of kits are boxed for distribution.	A donation this large is able to be spread throughout the St Francis network - touching many people's lives.