Starting March 1, families and individuals in need of things like shampoo and laundry detergent can go to the Salvation Army and get them for free.
Just a month shy from its hygiene closet’s grand opening, though, the Salvation Army is in crucial need of donations, said Jim Battaglia, spokesperson for the Salvation Army of Charlottesville.
The Salvation Army received numerous requests for hygienic products over the years from families who were transitioning out of homelessness. The organization wanted to find ways to support these families and individuals, in addition to their unhoused clients, in their next chapters of life.
“Families are finding it very difficult to come out of poverty to afford these types of items,” said Battaglia.
The closet will be open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is located at the Salvation Army office at 207 Ridge Street.
The Salvation Army’s hygiene closet still lacks various essentials, however. It is asking community members to donate any of the following unopened items to their office: baby diapers, baby formula, baby lotion, baby wipes, baby and adult shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, shaving cream, body soap, dish soap or laundry detergent. Those who wish to give money can give cash or checks or donate online and leave a note that the money is specifically for the hygiene closet, said Battaglia.
The organization may not be able to serve all their clients if they don’t receive the donations they need, he said. On average, the shelter helps 60 to 90 people per month.
“If half those families needed a body wash, we would be wiped out in one day,” said Battaglia.
The Salvation Army isn’t new to offering free toiletries. People who come through the Salvation Army’s emergency shelter are given a small bag with single-serve essentials like toothbrushes, toothpaste and bar soap.
There aren’t many other places where folks can get these kinds of items.
Jayson Whitehead, executive director for People and Congregations Engages in Ministry, told Charlottesville Tomorrow last year that hygienic supplies, while always in demand, are not frequently donated to food pantries.
But more institutions across the city are beginning to offer cleaning and hygiene products to people in need. In 2022, Charlottesville City Schools opened its EdZone closets, cupboards filled with essential items for students to take home, in all 12 of its schools. Students can reach out to a staff member at their school to retrieve home essentials like toothbrushes, toothpaste, body soap, shampoo, conditioner, dish soap, laundry detergent and, at times, clothing.
Love In the Name of Christ of Charlottesville and Albemarle is another organization that provides hygiene and home essentials, among other services, to “neighbors in need.” The operation connects with over 70 churches and offers free services. Currently, Love INC helps operate two personal care items and clothing closets: One is at the Charlottesville Church of the Brethren every third Saturday of the month; another is in Crozet at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church every first Saturday, said Raymond Klein, executive director of Love INC.
Klein said Love INC is hoping to collaborate with the Salvation Army so they can find ways to support each other and the people they serve. The organization is also looking for another church or partner in downtown Charlottesville because many of their clients come from that area.
More about services in the Charlottesville area
People in need of supplies must submit a form online or call the neighborhood hotline at 434-977-7777. After applying, an employee from Love INC will put people on a list for the church where they are able to pick up supplies, and close the list when they’ve reached capacity.
Those interested in donating to the organization can do so at Love INC’s main office at 198 Spotnap Road, Suite C-1, in Charlottesville.
Organizations in Charlottesville are continuing to try to understand how many people nonprofits and charitable groups can serve.
On a single day in 2022, there were 266 people experiencing homelessness in the Charlottesville region — including the city, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, Greene and Nelson counties — according to a count by the Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless included in the Stepping Stones Report from the Equity Center at the University of Virginia.
The number comes from the annual point-in-time count, where service organizations do their best to count all the people experiencing homelessness in their service area, on one single night in January, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This includes people living outside and those in shelters and transitional housing.
The actual number of people experiencing homelessness might vary from the recorded point-in-time count, but it gives government officials and service providers an idea of how to assist those who are unhoused. This is the first time Charlottesville has recorded such a high number of unhoused people in more than a decade. The count reached a low of 157 in 2016 and was 177 in 2021.
The Salvation Army receives most of its funding from their holiday Kettle Campaign, mass mailing campaigns, telethons, foundations and grants. About 4% — roughly $4,700 according to Battaglia — of the Charlottesville office’s budget goes toward the hygiene closet. Most of the inventory will come from donations.
Folks who use the closet will be required to fill out a form so the organization can keep track of who is coming in and how often. Those who wish to visit the closet will not be required to give any financial information, said Battaglia.
For more information, donors and clients can reach out to the Salvation Army on their website or call them at 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769).
