Lower School Parent Organization Collects 367 Hygiene Kits for Unhoused Neighbors

For many families, the conversation about our unhoused neighbors is a difficult one. Children may see and interact with unhoused folks regularly in their daily lives but lack the information and understanding of their situation to empathize with them. Especially for young children, it is important to start the conversation early about inequity and housing insecurity.

In an effort to support Los Angeles’s unhoused community, Poly’s Lower School Parent Organization (LSPO) Service Learning and DEI committees partnered for the first time to launch hygiene kit drives to provide personal care necessities for those lacking resources. Janet Kim ’00, co-founder of SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, provided an informational video about homelessness used in classrooms to preface the drive. The hygiene kit drive has been a lesson in service learning, while also building empathy around the contributing factors for those needs.

“Children can't help but personalize certain issues,” said Janet. “The important thing to do is let them know people are out there helping and we can all do something. Hygiene kits are great community action that helps outreach providers initiate engagement with someone who is unhoused. It starts conversations and builds relationships.”

The kits consist of toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, hand sanitizer, and masks, and will be included in pandemic relief boxes for those who are in transitional housing. Students could also include “notes of encouragement” with affirmations for those experiencing homelessness. Janet shared that the notes are especially meaningful as many who are unhoused are also separated from their families.

Graeme G. ’32 said he contributed to the project so he could help the homeless. “I know they need stuff like toothpaste and deodorant. I wrote a note because it’s a pandemic and it’s hard when you’re homeless and you don’t have much. I wanted them to know that they’re strong.”

172 hygiene kits have been delivered to the Young & Healthy non-profit in Pasadena and 195 to Union Station Homeless Services. In total, 367 kits have been collected thanks to the efforts of Siobhán Burke, LSPO DEI committee member; Elisa Rodriguez, LSPO DEI committee chair; Harper McDonald, LSPO service learning committee chair; and faculty support including Alex Velasco, Sherlyn Burns, and Yvette Pompa.