Durham Public Schools hosts hygiene care drive for families in need

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- November is National Homeless Awareness Month, and Durham Public Schools is hosting a hygiene and personal care drive to support families in need.

Throughout the month, drop-off boxes will be available at each school and central office building, including 808 Beacon Street, to collect essential hygiene items. These include shampoo (for all hair types), soap and body wash, deodorant, laundry detergent, and grocery or gas cards.

This is the first initiative of its kind for the district, according to Ebony Ross, the McKinney-Vento liaison for Durham Public Schools.

Previously, ARP funding allowed the purchase of hygiene kits, but those funds have since been exhausted. Current federal funding does not cover items like deodorants or lotions, Ross said.

The drive aims to stock the Family Resource Closet with hygiene items that families can access alongside school supplies and clothing. According to DPS, with over 1,000 families "in transition," the district's goal is to ensure students have access to these essential items.