Since 2018, a grass-roots people-led campaign Soap For Society has been encouraging Kiwis to help fight hygiene poverty in the country. Thousands of New Zealanders have already donated sanitary items, razors, shaving foam, deodorants, shampoos and conditioners, body wash and toothpastes for those in need. Join this year’s two-week drive from 4 to 18 October.
Hygiene poverty is an everyday experience for many New Zealanders. It creates shame about not being able to afford basic products, lowered self-esteem and self-confidence, a feeling of exclusion and worsened mental health in people.
Soap For Society was created by a Wellington-based blogger and published author, Lucy Revill, in 2018 to help fight hygiene poverty and support those in need. In 2019, 21,000 products were donated across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. It created an impact that genuinely raised people’s dignity and spirits and lasted until well after Christmas!
The grass-roots movement has now partnered with Wellington City Mission, Auckland City Mission and Christchurch City Mission, to help with the distribution of these products and allow small local businesses, large businesses and individuals to donate in the most convenient way – either by dropping off products directly at City Missions or by posting them.
Here are just some of the ways your donations will be distributed:
- Single-use and travel size items will be given to people to use in the City Mission’s shower service, where people who are homeless or don’t have access to shower facilities and hygiene products can come and shower.
- Through their Foodbanks, gifted to families and individuals in need along with food support.
- Through their Pantry Starter Kits service. These kits are made for people who are moving from temporary or transitional housing into a more permanent home and helps lower the cost of setting up their home. Along with essential pantry items, the family/individual can also request hygiene products they’ll need like toothpaste and soap. The team tailors each kit for the family/individual who will be receiving it, making sure it’s filled with items that will mean the most to them.
- Students in their Mission for Youth programme and their families. Mission for Youth is an alternative education and life-skills programme for young people who have disengaged from mainstream school.
- In the past, the Missions have given donated hygiene and sanitary items to other social services in the region such as Pregnancy Help, Women’s Refuge, Maori Women’s Refuge, House of Grace, Birthright, and social workers in local schools. They will offer items to places such as these once again, so they can distribute them to the people they work with.
Where to post your donations:
- Soap For Society, Auckland City Mission, Auckland City Mission,
- 15 Auburn Street, Grafton, Auckland Central, 1010
- Soap For Society, Wellington City Mission, 19 Gordon Place, Newtown, Wellington 6021.
- Soap For Society, Christchurch City Mission, 276 – 284 Hereford Street, Christchurch 8140
Make sure your box is labeled with ‘Soap For Society’ on each side!
You can also drop off your products or contribute financially – learn more here.