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Syracuse Toiletry Drive Helps Students in Need Syracuse Toiletry Drive Helps Students in Need

By Anthony Leon

Rise Above Poverty is holding a toiletry drive for kids in the Syracuse City School District.
© 2023 Anthony Leon

Anthony Leon: Cleanliness is next to godliness.

However, everyday items such as soap, shampoo, and toothpaste shouldn’t go to waste.

Rather, Rise Above Poverty… a local non-profit organization… is collecting toiletries to help underprivileged youth in the Syracuse City School District.

Collin’s Barbershop has partnered with Rise Above Poverty for several years now, and owner Charleston Collins believes it is important for less fortunate students to have personal care products.

Charleston Collins: So what Rise Above Poverty does is a great thing… to help those kids be able to obtain some of those things, and then help them feel good about themselves first of all, but it helps them focus on other things rather than personal care.

Leon: With nearly half of Syracuse City School District children living in poverty, items like these, which may seem as basic necessities to some, aren’t to others.

When you look at items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, and soap… you may wonder… how much do each of these items really cost? Five dollars? Ten dollars?

No… at a local store, most of these items cost about one dollar…think about that…one whole dollar.

That’s all it takes to make a difference.

Collins: There are so many millionaires and billionaires in this world… and there are still people who are starving… that doesn’t make sense.

Leon: Although donations have stopped at Collin’s Barbershop, people can still give at Miracles Hair Studio and Spa.

Hair stylist Kristin Durkee says families on assisted living can’t use food stamps on toiletries, so there is an increased importance on cosmetics.

Kristin Durkee: To be able to wash your hair, and brush your teeth, and put deodorant on. I mean that make’s a huge difference in how they present at school.

Leon: In 2022, the salon collected over 4,600 personal hygiene products. Durkee believes the drive will continue growing.

Durkee: I think the customers are getting used to knowing that this is a donation spot, and that we do this, so they’re very willing to participate.

Leon: If you would like to donate, Miracles is holding the collection drive until January. For more information, people can visit the Rise Above Poverty website.

Reporting in Syracuse, I’m Anthony Leon for NCC News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Personal care items such as soap, toothpaste and deodorant are hard to come by for some Syracuse students. 

As a result, one local non-profit organization is collecting toiletries for students in the Syracuse City School District.

With one in 10 Syracuse City School District students being homeless, Rise Above Poverty has partnered with local businesses such as Collin’s Barber & Beauty Shop to make a difference in the Syracuse community.

 

Miracles is asking people to donate personal care items for underprivileged youth in Syracuse.
Rise Above Poverty is asking people to donate products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and deodorant to help students in the Syracuse City School District.
© 2023 Anthony Leon

Owner Charleston Collins says when students go to school, they should focus on other activities rather than personal hygiene.

“They might not be as privileged as some and their families may not be able to supply those kinds of things,” Collins says. “So what Rise Above Poverty does is a great thing to help those kids be able to obtain some of those things.”

Although the drive wasn’t as successful in the barbershop, Collins believes other businesses should still join the effort.  

“With what’s going on here as far as the poverty in Syracuse being so high, hopefully that influences other people, other organizations to get involved somehow,” Collins says.

Miracles Hair Studio & Spa has been partnered with Rise Above Poverty since 2018. In 2022, the salon collected over 4,600 toiletries. Hair stylist Kristin Durkee believes since Miracles is a consistent donation spot, people will continue donating.

“I think each year we’ve been doing this, more and more clients are aware and love to give back to their community, so they are happy to come in and donate,” Durkee says.

While the collections were supposed to end in October, Miracles is still accepting donations until January.

For more information, people can visit the Rise Above Poverty website.

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