Show our Documentary: We encourage you to start by showing the Simply the Basics Documentary. It is an engaging and impactful 8 minutes long where you can hear directly from our Nonprofit Partners! No AV available? Email it to everyone in advance. People will feel more connected to the day when they have a better idea of the impact that their time will make!

Looking for additional content? Visit our Youtube for an extensive library of videos on how our programs work and words from our partners and Recipients!

Compassionate Conversation Discussions: An important part of the day is helping to reduce stigma, remembering and thinking about the Recipients we are serving and emphasizing the impact of the group’s volunteer time. Right before beginning your group activity, we encourage you all to have a conversation about homelessness.

prompts for some great Discussion Questions:

• Share one word that you think of when you think of homelessness in our town.

• What is one Hygiene Item, that if you didn’t have every day, you would have a hard time going to school/work/etc?

• Why do you think it is so difficult for someone experiencing homelessness to get a home? To find employment? To access services?

  (Considerations: The high cost of rent and deposits. Difficulty acquiring a job without proper hygiene, a phone, or access to the internet. The challenges of transportation and moving around. The longer a person sleeps outside, the more trauma they will experience and the harder it is to rehabilitate).

• Why is it better to say “Someone Experiencing Homelessness” rather than “Homeless Person”?

  (Hint! It is because homelessness is not their identity, it is a temporary experience that can and should have an end. It is more compassionate to say '“experiencing homelessness”).

Check out this video from Aquis Hair to hear their Compassion Conversations!

Many people experiencing homelessness have expressed feelings of loneliness and isolation. Our Recipients have also expressed how much they appreciate a connection to the volunteers and the notes they have received. Therefore, we encourage you to write some notes for the receiver, letting them know someone in their community was thinking of them. Use some blank paper or the back of the Client Survey Cards for this portion of the activity.

Important: Since we don’t know who will receive these messages, we ask that you do not write anything religious or political and do not add any identifyers. First names are okay!

Not sure what to say? Here are some examples:

Note Examples

• Hope this helps!

• Dear Neighbor.... Thinking of you and your wellness! - From your neighbor in (YOUR CITY)

• Sending warmth and care your way

• Wishing you strength and comfort  on your journey.

• Just a reminder, you matter.

• May this bring a moment of relief during difficult times.

• You're valued, and your well-being is important to us

Ready to start packing?!

Instruction to Assemble Hygiene Kits

Small Groups: Have people take one or two bags at a time, and go down the line to fill them up with hygiene products, and include one of the above handwritten messages in each!

Large Groups: You may place people in front of tables and rather pass the bags down assembly line style. This works well if you have multiple tables set up! *Please note, this way is efficient and ensures supplies are packed quickly. If you’d like your activity to last a couple of hours, you may consider the the first option as well.

Roles for the Group:

• Box Packer: (Image right) Have at least one person stationed at the end of each assembly line. This person will be your “Box Packer”. They make the ✨magic✨ happen and ensure kits get neatly placed in the boxes. This is important so that items don’t fall out of the kits and Recipient’s see the care you put into packing.

• Photographer/Quality Control: Have at least one person in charge of taking photos of the group. The day can move quickly, having someone in charge of photos will ensure you have the memories and a keepsake from the day! This individual can also help with Quality Control, ensuring all products and totes are up to dignified standards and disposing or cleaning items that need additional care.

Packing the Boxes

• At the end of the line, make sure that the bags get tied once (no double knots), and rolled up neatly so that items do not spill out. The more you can fit in a box the better! Ensure that totes are neatly placed. Once a box is full, tape it up neatly.  You can fit on average 50 kits per medium/large box.

• Once each box is filled, insert the correct Hygiene Box Insert page with all products written on the document. This tells the Recipients what they can expect to find inside.

Instructions to Assemble Menstrual Care Packs

• Have everyone sit around the table and fill each ziploc bag with the following:

  • 2 body wipes

  • A survey/handwritten note

  • Either tampons or pads.

• Do not mix tampons and pads into the same ziplock to ensure Recipient choice.

Approximately 5-7 pads or 10 tampons fit into one ziplock. If you have more menstrual care available, you can fill up the ziplocs even more!

Roles for the Group:

• Photographer/Quality Control: Have at least one person take photos of the group. The day can move quickly, having someone in charge of photos will ensure you have the memories and a keepsake from the day! This individual can also help with Quality Control, ensuring all products are up to dignified standards. All menstrual care supplies must be individually packaged and tampons and pads should not be mixed.

Packing the Boxes

• The more you can fit in a box the better! Tampons and pads packs can be packed into the same box! Once a box is full, tape it up neatly. 

We have had a profound impact on the health of our community because of our Quality Control Standards. We appreciate you for helping us to keep these standards!

1. Uniform Kits: 

• Every kit must include exactly one of each item.

2. Pack with care: 

• All products should be clean and unused.

• Any supplies that may have leaks or are ruined, please check if it simply needs to be wiped off or should be discarded and not used.

3. Extra Supplies? : 

• If there are extra supplies, distribute them evenly into kits.

4. Extra Totes? : 

• If extra tote bags remain, consolidate supplies and keep leftover totes for awareness purposes.

• This may happen if you can’t pack a kit completely with each item.

5. Pack Neatly: 

• Tie totes once (no double knots) and roll neatly to fit ~50 kits per large box.

The final step is a Simply the Basics tradition. Gather everyone together to take our traditional Team Video and photo.

1. One person videotaping or by setting up a camera, direct everyone to share:

   “We are (Insert Team Name) and today we packed X amount of Hygiene Kits for Simply the Basics!”

2. Share your video and any photos that you took with us and we will highlight your group to social media!

   You can also tag us @SimplytheBasics

AFTER YOU'VE PACKED THE KITS

Step 1: Please Deliver to the Receiving Site noted in your confirmation email. All drop offs must be made through an appointment with Simply the Basics to ensure someone is at the receiving site (M-F 9-5pm) to receive the supplies. If you prefer to ship your kits, simply let us know.

Step 2: Share your Feedback in our Survey! We would love your input on the experience, if you wouldn't mind taking a few minutes to complete our survey with Simply the Basics and share with us any photos or videos with our team! We love to be tagged in any social media posts and will be sure to re-post them too.

Thank you!

We hope you have a great packing day and we look forward to hearing all about it!