Can you imagine not having the simplest of needs, such as toilet paper, shampoo, and soap to keep yourself clean? Think of having to go to school unclean, feeling like your peers are staring at you. For some families, this is reality. So when Ruskin High School Student Council members were at a conference and listened to a representative from
Giving the Basics, the organization's purpose struck a chord.
Giving the Basics is a local organization that began in 2011 and provides basic necessities that are not covered by government assistance programs. They collect and distribute laundry soap, shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper, and other hygiene
products.
With the Christmas spirit in mind, the Student Council decided to hold a school-wide donation drive.
Junior Emely Lopez said there are so many people in the HMC-1 community who need help, but oftentimes, they don't ask for it. While there is often help for food and clothes, more basic necessities can be hard to come by.
For junior Helen Cadena, the project is personal.
"I've lived in Section 8 housing and have gone through this struggle, so I know an organization like Giving the Basics helps a lot," Cadena confided. "Knowing you have the necessities to keep yourself clean is a big deal. If you are dirty, you feel like people are looking at you. Being clean makes you feel better and boosts your self-esteem."
Sophomore Craig Hughes explained that Giving the Basics saves HMC-1 families a trip across town for help, pointing out that assistance is oftentimes located in the inner city; suburban areas, such as south Kansas City, are left out.
"To have this project and help people makes you feel good," Hughes said. "You know you have done something. While it's not enough [to solve the problem], it is a start."
Putting it simply, Student Council Advisor Kim Sixta repeated the phrase, "Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts."