April Showers Seeking Soap

Could you imagine going without toilet paper? Deodorant? Or diapers for your infant? 

That is the reality of many local families who have been hit by the recession. More and more people are receiving aid during this difficult time. But personal care items such as toothpaste, soap and shampoo cannot be purchased with food stamps, and these necessities account for less than 1 percent of all donations to food pantries.

The Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is helping to fill this need with its annual April Showers Personal Care Item Drive. You may have noticed a green plastic bag at your front door this past weekend. Fill it with new, unused personal care items and place the bag outside your front door for pickup before 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 17. The Girl Scouts will do the rest, picking up the items and donating them to local food pantries.

April Showers is a great way to get your kids in the spirit of volunteerism. Have them scavenge the house for extra boxes of facial tissues or take them to the dollar store to purchase a few toothbrushes. These small acts of kindness can make a big difference to someone in need.

The Girl Scouts are requesting the following items:

• Toilet paper
• Shampoo
• Soap
• Deodorant
• Baby care supplies
• Feminine hygiene supplies
• Disposable diapers
• First aid supplies
• Lotion
• Facial tissue
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste

The pickup will take place rain or shine, so load those bags up! If you didn’t receive a bag, consider donating personal care items directly to one of the Girl Scouts’ partners in the drive: The Food Bank for Central and Eastern Missouri and Operation Food Search.