Imagine not having access to a shower in over a week.
Imagine not being able to afford soap to wash yourself.
Imagine attending an important meeting without deodorant.
How would you feel?
Soap for Hope Canada is working tirelessly to ensure no one in BC needs to experience the embarrassment and shame that comes with hygiene poverty. A registered Canadian charity, Soap for Hope provides essential hygiene products and linens to community facilities serving vulnerable people. They do this by repurposing gently-used products that would otherwise end up in the landfill.
“Hygiene poverty is a bigger issue than most people think,” says Soap for Hope Canada Founder and Executive Director Anne McIntyre.
“People think about those without food or shelter, but no one thinks of the effects if you don’t have access to a shower or deodorant. That is a reality for 25 percent of people. Many people are deciding between food and rent for their apartment, or medication; hygiene items aren’t even on the list.”
Statistics Canada reports that in 2022, 9.9 percent of Canadians lived in poverty, with one in four children affected in 2020. Hygiene poverty, however, reaches beyond these statistics, affecting even those above the poverty line who must choose between other essentials and hygiene products.
Since 2015, the Soap for Hope program has expanded from supporting five community facilities in Victoria to over 500 facilities across BC and Alberta. A community facility could be a shelter, transitional home, street outreach service, food bank, school, low-income senior facility or emergency centre.
“We are helping people you may never have thought could need this kind of help,” says McIntyre.
“People who are too proud to reach out or who think someone else needs it more than they do.”
Soap for Hope started with a basic hygiene kit made from five products they could repurpose from the hotel industry. These were individual-sized soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion. Organizers soon realized they needed to be the complete hygiene solution for other equally important and overlooked essential products and began purchasing items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and menstrual products.
With rising inflation and rents, many seniors on fixed incomes are forced to cut hygiene from their budgets. The organization also supports children in schools, particularly those in food programs who most likely don’t have enough hygiene at home.
The pandemic highlighted the need to assist financially insecure families, leading the charity to offer products in three sizes—individual, mid-size and family—to effectively meet the needs of the community.
Volunteering
Volunteering at Soap for Hope Canada offers a unique opportunity to make a social and environmental impact, whether at the warehouse or from your home. The program proudly hosts volunteers from diverse backgrounds and walks of life, fostering a positive and environmental impact.
“The people who volunteer here love it,” says McIntyre.
“We have a very high retention rate. There is such a good feeling here and you get to see the effects of what you are doing immediately. Join a supportive community to engage in great conversations, share laughs and gain hands-on experience.”
She adds that there are about 100 to 120 volunteers at the Soap for Hope warehouse in Victoria every week.
“Choose the task that suits you best! Whether you enjoy processing hygiene products and linens by sorting, squeezing, filling, washing and folding, or prefer welcoming and assisting customers at Second Hand Hope Thrift Store, there’s a perfect role for you,” she says.
McIntyre says the oldest volunteer they have is 91 years old and they often have children, adults and seniors volunteering at the warehouse together.
“As I have hopefully helped this organization, they too have helped me,” says volunteer Mary Ann Belfry.
“I lost my beloved husband after years of him suffering with MS, this left a huge hole in my life and then Soap for Hope Canada happened. I’ve met so many fabulous people, and it’s wonderful to hear all their stories about their lives, which fills in my day and I appreciate and learn a lot.”
Five Hearts
Soap for Hope is collaborating with three other organizations to put on the Five Hearts One Purpose event on June 14. The other organizations are Power to Be, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Greater Victoria Festival Society and the fifth “heart” in the title stands for community.
“It is going to be such a magical evening, full of surprises and mystery,” says McIntyre.
“Attendees won’t even know the location until the day of and will be bussed in from four different locations in Victoria.”
She describes the event as a “non-gala” and says it will include interactive fun that highlights the importance of collaboration and the message of working together.
Visit soapforhopecanada.ca to find out more about the non-gala, buy your tickets or learn how else you can help.
