Our Community Helps Hands4Hope Collect Over 700 Pounds of Toiletries for Those In Need

The 7th Annual Hands4Hope Toiletries Drive, with the help of local schools, businesses and Scout troops, collected 795 pounds of toiletries to be distributed to local agencies serving those in need as well as directly to the homeless through Hands4Hope’s Street Outreach. The Drive ran in various intervals from the middle of February to the end of April.  Local elementary schools William Brooks, Silva Valley, and Green Valley, as well as local businesses - The Gift of Kids Preschool and Daycare, DST, and Intel, and Girl Scout Troop 1456 participated.  

Green Valley Elementary School won Hands4Hope’s Traveling Trophy for being the school to collect the most toiletries to student ratio. Green Valley students donated a total of 125.5 pounds of soaps, toilet paper, tissues, deodorant, and oral hygiene products.  Congratulations Green Valley and thank you to all who participated in this community-wide effort!

Hands4Hope also conducted its annual Toiletries Scavenger Hunt, with youth from grades K-12 working in teams to collect a list of items in a local neighborhood. Prizes were given to teams for most items collected and most deodorant collected. Deodorant is always in demand, so it was a bonus item.

The toiletries are being distributed to those  in need such as homeless families in Sacramento and El Dorado Counties, The Center for Violence Free Relationships, Twin Lakes Food Bank, New Morning Shelter, Remi Vista, Lilliput and other agencies that serve those struggling in our greater community..

Hands4Hope started conducting the Toiletries Drive seven years ago in response to learning about the great need for these consumables. When a person has limited or no income, toiletries are sometimes a luxury that is not affordable after bills are paid and food is purchased. There is always a need for these items so, despite the Toiletries Drive taking place in the Spring, Hands4Hope is always accepting donations. Items of greatest need are toilet paper, deodorant, shaving cream, tooth brushes, tooth paste, and hand sanitizer. If you would like more information on making a donation, please call the Hands4Hope Youth Center at 916-294-7426.

Blue Shield of California - A Continued Supporter of Hands4Hope

The mission of Blue Shield is to ensure all Californians have access to high-quality health care at an affordable price. Since 2002, Blue Shield has publicly advocated for universal health care, both at the state level and nationwide. As a not-for-profit health plan striving to ensure access and affordability, health care reform aligns closely with Blue Shield’s mission.

As a not-for-profit, Blue Shield of California operates for the purpose of fulfilling its mission: to ensure that Californians have access to high-quality health care at an affordable price. Operationally, this means Blue Shield serves its members rather than Wall Street investors, reinvesting profits back into the company for the benefit of members, and into the community. 

Blue Shield first supported Hands4Hope five years ago as a sponsor of its Haunted House. Blue Shield Director of Finance Charles Sharp joined the organization’s board of directors in 2012.  Each year, Sharp’s team will work with H4H to provide lunch, toiletries and clothing to the homeless population in the Sacramento area. Blue Shield’s sponsorship also contributed to the H4H youth center.

Background on Blue Shield of California

Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with 4 million members, 6,800 employees and more than $13 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare health care service plans in California. The company’s mission is to ensure all Californians have access to high-quality care at an affordable price. Blue Shield has contributed more than $325 million over the past ten years to the Blue Shield of California Foundation. Contact your local agent or broker about Blue Shield of California products and services, or visit www.blueshieldca.com.