Moscow Students Organize Toiletries Drive to Support Families

Moscow elementary students are taking significant steps to support local families in need through a community initiative. Fourth graders at Lena Whitmore Elementary have launched a toiletries drive that runs until December 12, 2023. The drive encourages students and community members to donate essential items such as toilet paper, deodorant, toothpaste, and children’s body wash. Donations can be placed in a collection bin located at the front entrance of the school.

The collected items will be delivered to the Moscow School District’s Family Resource Hub, situated in the former Russell Elementary building. Established last year, the Family Resource Hub aims to provide free clothing, toiletries, and school supplies to students and families facing challenges.

Tiffany Mayes, a fourth-grade teacher at Lena Whitmore, explained that the toiletries drive is part of a broader educational initiative focused on community service. “I have always been passionate about teaching students how to help others,” Mayes said. The school aims to engage in a charitable activity each year, and this year, they identified toiletries as the most pressing need at the Family Resource Hub.

The educational component of the drive includes writing essays about the importance of community giving, creating promotional posters, and producing a video about the initiative, which has been shared on Facebook. Fellow fourth-grade teacher Lindsey Lee noted that these activities are designed to help students understand the impact of their contributions.

Once the toiletries drive concludes, the students will visit the Family Resource Hub to volunteer. This field trip will provide them with firsthand experience of how their efforts are making a difference in the community.

The impact of community support extends beyond Lena Whitmore Elementary. Moscow High School students Caitlin Highfill and Haili Hull recently organized a winter clothing drive in collaboration with the MHS leadership class. Their efforts resulted in the donation of two truckloads of clothing and $750 to support the Family Resource Hub.

The Family Resource Hub is open for donations and assistance on Tuesdays from 2-5 p.m., providing an essential resource for families in need within the community. As the students demonstrate, collective action can significantly enhance the well-being of those around them, fostering a spirit of compassion and support.