KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — For just a few dollars, you can make a personal hygiene kit for Charlotte area nonprofits to help the homeless.
An estimated 22% of Cabarrus County residents are food insecure and one in five children go hungry. WCNC Charlotte is working with 1CAN, a nonprofit that serves those in need in Cabarrus County. The nonprofit has a total of seven Blessing Boxes in Concord and Kannapolis. A Blessing Box is similar to a little free library, only it is filled with food and toiletry items. Those in need can take the items at no cost.
Sheryl Kluge founded the nonprofit in 2019 and said the need is even greater now than during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Volunteers with 1CAN restock the boxes, sometimes daily. Their boxes at Rotary Square, Fire Station 4 in Concord and boxes at Cabarrus Health Alliance and Fire Station1 in Kannapolis remain the busiest boxes that serve many people daily.
1CAN needs donations of food and personal hygiene items. Items can be purchased from their Amazon Smile wish list.
WCNC Charlotte purchased personal hygiene items and assembled them into bags to distribute in Blessing Boxes.
A simple hygiene kit includes the following:
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Soap
- Shampoo
Items can be sample size or full and should be placed in a sealed Ziplock bag.
Additional suggested items to include:
- Deodorant
- Washcloth
- Wipes
- Band-aids
- Lotion
- Combs
- Women’s sanitary products
- Chapstick
- Gloves
- Socks
- Hats
- Q Tips
- Hand sanitizer
- Do not include razors since they can be used to hurt someone
The nonprofit also needs help keeping the boxes stocked. They will provide the food, but they need volunteers to go and straighten and stock. It takes about 15 minutes. Those able to volunteer their time can contact Sheryl at 843-330-0525 or sheryl@your1can.org.
In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, families affected by food insecurity skyrocketed, and another three Blessing Boxes boxes were added in other areas within Cabarrus County bringing the total to seven. 1CAN was able to assist families with over 20,000 food and personal hygiene items in 2020.
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