How a Frisco Non-Profit is Addressing the Overlooked Hygiene Needs of Young People
Navigating childhood, and especially the teenage years, can be hard enough, and though Frisco is a largely affluent area, there are still many needs to be met in order for our younger population to flourish. While our minds oftentimes default to those needs relating to food, more and more young people are in need of the very items that help them maintain daily hygiene. So, how does a modern community ensure that its children in need have access to personal hygiene items that help them feel clean and confident? Enter Refresh NTX - an organization imagined and formed out of true compassion for children’s ever-changing needs.
Clean and Confident, One Refresh Pack at a Time
With a mission to provide for local students in need, Refresh NTX provides quarterly, customized hygiene packs to kids from various local school districts. The registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization connects with students in need of hygiene services and products through local school staff and administration personnel. Customized Refresh packs filled with essential hygiene items are delivered discreetly every three months to students at 95 different schools in our area, including Frisco, Little Elm, and Denton ISD’s Denton Braswell.
Elizabeth Watkins, the president and founder of Refresh NTX, says, “Prior to starting Refresh NTX, I volunteered at a food pantry that was set up like a grocery store, but I noticed that the hygiene aisle always had such limited supply. People think about donating food, but not products.” Many people do not realize that hygiene and cleaning items cannot be purchased through the use of food stamps. Often, families that find themselves in need of financial assistance leave essential hygiene needs unmet in order to pay other bills.
“After working on the PTA for years, I thought about the kids in local schools and how they don’t always have access to the hygiene products they need. I reached out to a school counselor and went from there,” Ms. Watkins shares.
After learning from the counselor that there wasn’t any type of program supporting the hygiene needs of students, Ms. Watkins stepped up to the challenge. “Starting a nonprofit was something I always dreamed of doing. In May of 2019, Refresh started! And we just celebrated our five-year anniversary last month,” she says.
Depending on a child’s age, gender preference, and natural hair care needs, Refresh packs are tailored to each student and include toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bar soap, lip balm, a hair brush or comb, lotion, and more. Additional items like shaving cream, deodorant, and feminine products can also be included for middle and high school students. Seasonally, hand sanitizer and sunscreen may be included. Students even receive handwritten notes of encouragement in their packs. The team at Refresh NTX has also recently been collecting and distributing laundry detergent while looking for a way to include it regularly in packs, as many families have expressed a need for it.
Refresh packs are provided once a quarter - generally in August, November, February, and May. Thanks to help from countless donations, sponsorships, and volunteers, more than 1,800 students a quarter have reaped the benefits of Refresh NTX’s hard work behind the scenes to provide for these kiddos.
Creating Community Awareness
More than anything, creating awareness about Refresh NTX continues to be essential to the important cause. Carrie Ermence, a local business founder on the advisory council for Refresh NTX, does special local events to help sponsor the organization financially. “I am out in the community spreading the word about what we do!” she says. “We are the Chamber of Commerce’s Nonprofit of the Year this year! I try to spend a lot of time at community events so families can better understand that Refresh NTX is here to help … and that this organization exists, since we are relatively new.”
Ms. Ermence helps ensure that local organizations know about volunteer opportunities with Refresh NTX. She shares, “Frisco Women’s League members make up a big portion of our Refresh NTX drivers. We are going to have a panel in October with the Women Enhancing Business group to help bring awareness and provide a platform for Refresh NTX so our community can learn more!”
Like any nonprofit attempting to establish its mission and make a difference, Refresh NTX currently needs more sponsorships and community involvement. “This organization is so near and dear to my heart. Once you see it, you know you are helping. It is the most awesome feeling. There are so many families that need help, and this is an amazing nonprofit to be a part of!” Ms. Ermence adds proudly.
As our economy changes, everything is admittedly getting more expensive, and the stress of those increased prices is felt even at the non-profit level. Refresh NTX historically bought a lot of its donation products through Dollar Tree because they were $1.25. Recently, however, a devastating tornado destroyed Dollar Tree’s Oklahoma distribution center, and it isn’t reopening. “We don’t know what is going to happen for ordering in bulk. This is a question mark for us. We may end up having to pay more now. We got a lot of items from them, so the money we raise from donations, sponsorships, and businesses helps support our cause,” Ms. Watkins shares.
The future is bright for Refresh NTX, and, like any growing non-profit, the team at Refresh NTX is working hard to meet the goals they’ve set for the organization. One of their main goals is to continue networking and making connections in the community. “Connecting with groups that can help us get the essential products we need for the hygiene packs and to connect with more people in the community,” Ms. Watkins says.
Since the pandemic, purchasing restrictions have affected the organization due to supply chain issues. “But now, with our warehouse, we are able to receive large products in bulk, so we need more connections to groups that can provide items at whole sale. We could do even more if there was an easier way to get products in bulk!” Ms. Watkins says.
Ms. Ermence adds, “Roots grow! Just because you’re a small, newer organization, there are so many people you can touch in the community. There is such a need out there. Our board is made up of wonderful people with hearts for serving.”
A Partnership with Schools
Refresh NTX often connects with families while they are registering for school to allow families to elect to use their services, and the schools also help spread the word. Ms. Watkins says, “Originally, I chose to start this program in a district where I already knew people – in Frisco (in 2019). In 2021, Refresh NTX added Little Elm ISD, then Denton ISD. We are the only nonprofit in the area doing what we do. We have gotten a lot of requests from neighboring school districts, so the organization’s name now represents the North Texas community.”
Kristin Cagle, executive director of Refresh NTX, admits, “I love the interaction with so many families at our events. Every time, it just fuels my fire to keep going, try to find more families, and do as much as we can. It makes it very easy to put in the hours when you see the real need out there. There is a misconception of this type of need in Frisco. The unhoused population is significant and surprising. We know they can’t use food stamps to get the hygiene help they need.”
To be eligible for the program, a child must attend a school in Frisco, Little Elm, or at Denton ISD’s Braswell High School and qualify for the district’s free and reduced meal plan program. Once a child is enrolled, they remain in the program for the rest of the school year. Participants receive emails providing details about when and where Refresh packages will be distributed - either through a drive-thru at the Refresh NTX warehouse or school delivery.
Ms. Watkins says, “We always want to say ‘yes!’ We operate from a place of ‘yes!’ If families or schools have an emergency situation, we’ll get to them. We are delivering packs every week. We don’t know how to say ‘no’ when a kid needs something.”
A Number of Ways to Support and Give Back
While still a young non-profit, Refresh NTX has given those who want to help plenty of different ways to do so, from donations to volunteering. Refresh NTX takes donations of full-size, new, unopened hygiene products. Such products fall under the umbrellas of oral care, hair care, children’s items, bathing essentials, personal care items, and feminine hygiene products.
Monetary donations of any size are always welcome and readily accepted, too. For an elementary-aged student, a donation of $27 provides hygiene products for an entire quarter, while only $108 provides items for a full year. For a middle or high school male student, $33 covers hygiene products for the quarter, while $132 provides the necessary items for a full year, and for a middle or high school female student, only $51 can cover hygiene products for the quarter, and $204 covers the cost of the year.
Additionally, businesses, programs, organizations, or even individuals can host a product drive as a way to give back. Step-by-step guidelines for organizing a drive, setting goals, collection guidelines, and ensuring an overall successful drive can be found on the Refresh NTX website. “We encourage those wanting to get involved to consider hosting a product drive in their neighborhood, community, school, sports team, church, etc. We rely solely on community support through monetary/product donations,” says Patti Zito, a volunteer coordinator for Refresh NTX.
As volunteer coordinators, Sarah Franklin and Ms. Zito schedule volunteer groups to help at the warehouse. “Some of the many groups we host include corporations, philanthropy groups, teen service groups, and faith-based groups. We help lead pack events, coordinate logistics for quarterly distributions, and organize school delivery drivers. The Refresh board continuously strives to come up with innovative ideas to help streamline our processes making it as smooth as possible both for our recipients and our volunteers!” Ms. Zito shares.
Refresh NTX recently celebrated its five-year anniversary, and since launching in 2019, the organization has distributed over 200,000 full-size hygiene products to students across the community. Those interested in donating can also visit refreshntx.org to access the Amazon and Walmart Wish Lists that directly support Refresh NTX’s cause. Be sure to follow Refresh NTX on Facebook (@Refresh NTX) and Instagram (@refresh_ntx)! The dedicated team would love to get in touch with anyone who wants to volunteer, donate, or inquire about sponsorship opportunities.
