After a crisis or during a period of instability, everyday items like soap, shampoo, and toothbrushes suddenly become scarce but are hard to prioritize when families are focused on safety, housing, and food.
Luckily, our Charity Alliance members are experts in responding in times of need. Our partner CARE works around the globe to save lives and defeat poverty. With local support, they’re often among the first to respond to a crisis, helping protect women and children and ensuring they receive the care they need.
CARE’s mission is central to our own mission of inspiring greater giving. In fact, CARE was one of our founding members when we began as a federal workplace giving federation 70 years ago.
Our recent All Staff Conference was the perfect opportunity to showcase our values by helping a trusted nonprofit partner. That’s why, on day one of our All Staff Conference, colleagues from across Global Impact Ventures assembled 1,000 CARE PACKAGE® parcels. In just a few hours, we turned boxes of individual items into organized hygiene packs and wrote personalized notes of encouragement to include in each.
“There was no better way to celebrate our own 70th anniversary than to support a founding member and the 80th anniversary of the CARE PACKAGE, a tangible representation of the dignity and support we hope to bring to communities around the world! By partnering with CARE, we helped ensure supplies are packed and ready so they can be distributed quickly when needs arise — whether that’s after severe weather, a local emergency, or another situation across the globe,” said Brittany Craig, Managing Director at Global Impact.
What we packed
CARE delivered the first CARE PACKAGE in 1946 to help families recovering after World War II. Today, the CARE PACKAGE can include many forms of support, from emergency supplies to longer-term solutions. Our team contributed by packing hygiene kits, which included some of the most requested essentials after an emergency:
- Soap and shampoo
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Other personal care basics
Each kit contained the same set of items, plus a handwritten note from a member of our team.
“When disasters strike, every second counts,” says Sarah Thompson, Associate Vice President for U.S. Programs at CARE. “The support of volunteers who put together CARE PACKAGE kits ahead of time helps us respond faster and work alongside local and national partners to reach communities when they need it most. Every package represents care, compassion, and solidarity for families navigating incredibly difficult moments.”
These kits will eventually go where the needs are most urgent, when those communities need them most. Packing the kits in advance shortens the time between an emerging need and real support in someone’s hands. Hygiene kits don’t just meet immediate health needs; they can provide comfort and restore dignity to someone going through the most stressful experience of their life.
Our experience
As a philanthropic intermediary, we aren’t always able to be there in person to see the immediate impact of our work. This experience is similar to other workplaces and companies that focus on product or direct service and might not always be able to see and help with urgent community needs. This volunteer experience gave us all time to pause, do something together, and reflect on how our mission impacts others.
Assembling the basic care items made each of us reflect on the experience of losing your home and what basic needs and comfort items help make you feel human — a shower, clean teeth, and washed hands. Then, there is the opportunity to write a note to the recipient. There are great prompts provided, but it really does make you think about the things that comfort you when you are at your lowest. Is it knowing there are others who care for you? Is it seeing how your circumstance won’t last forever?
After you write your note, you place your completed package in a large box. It was fun to see so many colleagues eager to fill those boxes and get as many kits packed as possible in the time allotted. That is where the teamwork came in! We consolidated boxes, kept the energy up, and cheered each other on. When the last kit was packed, we celebrated what we accomplished together.
“Packing hygiene kits for CARE reminded me that dignity is a basic need, not a luxury,” said Juanita Nyce, Senior Philanthropy Advisor at Geneva Global. “Something as seemingly simple as soap or toothpaste can be a lifeline for families in crisis. My hope is that the kits will help them stay healthy, feel cared for, and hold onto hope. It was a tangible way to show love for neighbors nearby and around the world. Thank you for the opportunity!”
Thank you to all our colleagues who volunteered their time to sort supplies, pack kits, and keep the energy high throughout the afternoon. This experience was a great reminder that impact isn’t only measured in big moments. It’s also built through teamwork and steady, practical actions.
How you can get involved
Inspired by CARE’s mission to defeat poverty, save lives, and support women and girls around the world? You can donate directly to CARE or in your workplace giving campaign (which may also be matched!) Your gift will help families experiencing poverty or recovering after a disaster. Learn more about the CARE PACKAGE here.
Have a staff offsite, conference, or other team bonding day in the works? A charity project can be a great way to infuse meaning, purpose, and connection into your day. Learn how you can take just an hour of your day to put together CARE PACKAGE kits for women and girls in need. Plus, we have plenty of other engagement activities to get your workplace involved — reach out to us to learn more.
Our team is proud to have completed these CARE PACKAGE kits, taking a tangible step to support readiness and relief efforts. We’re looking forward to the next opportunity to serve together.
