Packing the Essentials for Kids in Need

September 16, 2024
• Needham’s Circle of Hope welcomed local volunteers to pack up donations for children experiencing homelessness.

On a Tuesday afternoon off Highland Avenue, a group of Needham employees cut open boxes of shampoo, picked up toothbrushes and toothpaste and packed it all up in plastic bags. The final touch? A sticker that read “Circle of Hope.”

The Needham-based nonprofit hosted local volunteers as they created 144 kids’ hygiene kits, which aim to support children in family shelters, Boston Public Schools and elsewhere. The effort marked the organization’s first time bulk assembling the kits for children specifically, as it’s become a rising need, Executive Director Ari Barbanell said.

Circle of Hope — which primarily serves people experiencing or at risk of housing insecurity — aims to “connect with every member of the family,” Barbanell said. That includes infants through elders, matching them with the basics: clothing, winter gear, health care needs and hygiene.

While Needham residents may feel untouched by housing insecurity, Barbanell said it’s a harsh reality for many Massachusetts families. The high rates of family homelessness in the state, coupled with rising housing costs and a short housing supply, put some at significant risk.

With that in mind, they’re hoping to acquire new kids’ hygiene products for future kits.

“We’re trying to get kids exactly what they need,” Barbanell said, “so, kid-focused toothpaste and toothbrushes and three-in-one body wash, shampoo and conditioner, things that are easy to use for a family and that help make a kid feel seen and then get exactly what they need. That feels special.”

Last year, Circle of Hope handed out about 78,000 pieces of clothing, serving an estimated 26,000, said Christine Ruddy, the community engagement specialist. The new and gently used clothes gather in shelves and shelves in their Needham headquarters, organized by gender and age.

While the space is somewhat limited, Ruddy said they never turn donations away.

“People from the community are very generous,” Ruddy said. “They’ll donate when their kids outgrow something.”

The nonprofit added to their inventory with a recent delivery from Uniqlo, a retail partner that supplied several boxes of kids’ clothes. After packaging the hygiene items, volunteers with Needham retirement investment firm Johnson Brunetti assessed and sorted the new clothing into piles.

Most shirts, pants and jackets meet their standards, but any considered stained or otherwise unfit will head to Helpsy, a textile donation service.

While Circle of Hope mainly serves other communities in Greater Boston — specifically the Metrowest and Framingham area — Needham still receives its help. One of its partners is Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Needham, which keeps a closet stocked with adequate clothing for patients leaving the facility. Circle of Hope also works with the Needham chapter of the VFW to assist unhoused veterans, Ruddy said.

“We’re grateful that the rates of homelessness in Needham itself are very low, but [they] still exist,” Barbanell said.

Through its 28 partners, the organization acts as a middle-man, fielding requests for items which it then hands to those partners to disseminate as needed. Given the extensive need for their services, Barbanell said they’ve formed a waitlist for future partners.

For Johnson Brunetti employee Max Gordon, who lives in Brighton, he sees the need first-hand.

“People are in the community struggling,” Gordon said, “so it’s good to feel like we’re making an impact.”

Some of the firm’s staff spent time last quarter making adult hygiene kits and similarly filtering through donated clothing. After her visit last week, employee Gabriella Muraca said she hopes to continue the arrangement.

“I think it will be a recurring thing going forward,” Muraca said. “It’s nice to know we have a direct effect on the community and surrounding towns.”

Another round of Johnson Brunetti volunteers plan to stop by the nonprofit later this month.

Besides hygiene kits, Circle of Hope puts together “Welcome Baby Bags,” which contain supplies for new mothers and their babies. They also started the Get Set program, which provides essentials to homeless college students attending several local schools, including Framingham State University.

With New England winter on the horizon, Barbanell said they’ll distribute coats around October through March, depending on the weather. The amount of winter clothing that goes to regional families, she said, “is just unbelievable.”

Year-round, the organization is always in need of new socks and underwear in all sizes, especially for adults. Comfortable basics, such as sweat pants and hoodies in excellent condition, are also appreciated, Barbanell said, as are hygiene products for kids.

Barbanell said she’s encouraged by the amount of community support from volunteers and those who donate.

“It’s amazing to be there and see how many people want to be a part of the work,” Barbanell said. “We want to serve beyond Needham the way that we do, but we can’t do it without that community that we’re in.”