Family-to-Family & High Ridge Brands Bring "Shower to the People" to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington

Family-to-Family, Inc., a non-profit poverty relief organization, is proud to share that High Ridge Brands, maker of Zest®, VO5®, White Rain®, Coast® and Rave® has made an additional donation of 1 million+ showers-worth of soap, shampoo, conditioner and body wash products to 20 organizations identified by Family-to-Family’s “Shower To The People” Program, including Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington in the District of Columbia. These organizations serve impoverished American families. 

This brings the total number of communities reached by Family-to-Family’s “Shower To The People” program to 39, covering 36 states and Washington, D.C. The program provides ongoing personal care products to families in need.

In addition to Washington, D.C., the latest recipient communities include Detroit, MI, New Orleans, LA, Baltimore, MD, Philadelphia, PA, Pacoima, CA, Youngstown, OH, Nashville, TN, Las Vegas, NV and Boston, MA (full list available).

Family-to-Family is working with select Boys & Girls Clubs, public schools, social service agencies and food pantries to distribute the products. This donation will bring the total number of​donated personal care items by High Ridge Brands in the last eight months to 3 million+ showers-worth of products.

"High Ridge Brands is dedicated to helping families in need across the country. We take pride in having the opportunity to provide those less fortunate with a fresh start in the morning,” said James Daniels, CEO of High Ridge Brands. “High Ridge Brands is proud to support Family-to-Family for the second year in a row. Their 'Shower To The People' program has the ability to reach our country's poorest neighborhoods, and helps provide these families with the most essential and high quality hygiene products."

The donation is aimed at meeting a serious ongoing need. SNAP, The Supplemental Assistance Program (formerly the food stamp program), and other major Federal assistance programs don’t provide assistance for the purchase of personal care products, leading millions of families to go without.  

A 2013 study by Feeding America found that of those surveyed who were unable to afford basic household goods, 55% reported skipping shampoos and 33% reported bathing without soap as a means to save money. In addition, 40% of that study’s low income respondents reported skipping or delaying their rent payment in the past year in order to afford non-food household essentials.

"It's hard to believe that the most basic personal care items - soap, shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper - are considered luxury items for families living on the edge,” said Pam Koner, founder of Family-to-Family. "I’ve heard of families in need taking liquid soap home from fast-food restaurant bathrooms, teen-aged girls skipping school because they don't have feminine hygiene products, families using dish detergent as shampoo, children being bullied at school for being unclean, and most shockingly, of families going without toilet paper!”

"These items help to restore the dignity that can so often be eroded by severe poverty. They are much more than simply soap and shampoo; they let our clients know that someone cares," says James Brannigan of Part Of The Solution in Bronx, NY, one of the recipient social service organizations. 

​Delivery of the 1 million+ showers-worth of products to the 20 recipient sites began Monday June 30, 2014.

For more information about Shower To The People, visit www.family-to-family.org.

About Family-to-Family
Family-to-Family, Inc. (www.family-to-family.org) is a grassroots nonprofit 501(c)(3) hunger and poverty relief organization dedicated to providing food, personal hygiene products and other basic life essentials to American families struggling with the challenges of poverty by connecting donors one-to-one with families in need.

About High Ridge Brands

Headquartered in Stamford, CT, High Ridge Brands provides families with high quality personal care products at a great value. High Ridge Brands Family of Values portfolio includes Alberto VO5® brand in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as Rave® and White Rain® hair care products, and Zest® and Coast ® personal cleansing brands globally. For more information, please visit www.highridgebrands.com.