Recap: Hygiene Champions Summer Program
This summer, our Hygiene Champions, a group of amazing middle and high school students, stepped up to lead a community fundraiser supporting Essentials First’s mission, ensuring everyone has access to basic hygiene essentials with dignity
Over several weeks, these youth took charge through team-based leadership:
Operations Team handled event logistics, signage, setting up the welcome table, and ran the Kahoot game!
Food & Decor Team They set up the event space, designed the decor, and ran a fun bake sale.
Marketing Team designed flyers, promoted the event, and managed outreach.
Fundraising Team led hygiene drives, made brochures and pledge forms, and engaged stores and neighbors to collect supplies.
Entertainment Team curated stage fun, coordinated performances, and kept the energy high!
The program culminated with a fundraising event on August 2nd, where this group of youth pulled off a fun and educational afternoon and raised over $75,000 to support the mission of Essentials First!
We have so much gratitude to share -- to the donors whose generosity will echo through our communities empowering dignity for thousands of neighbors; to Essentials First Programs & Operations Manager Marryam Ali for coordinating the program and to the parent volunteers and EF staff who helped bring the vision to life; to our partners at the Together Center for hosting and the Rotary Club of Woodinville for sponsoring and pulling off a memorable Dessert Dash; to Washington State Representative Osman Salahuddin for sharing a powerful message and example to the youth; and to the Sheriff family for their ongoing stewardship of this movement to end hygiene poverty for good.
Most of all, thank you to the Hygiene Champions who planned and participated in every aspect of this event; we are beyond proud of these young leaders' creativity, passion, and perseverance - powerful reminders that our future is in capable hands.
Sign up to receive occasional email updates on Hygiene Champions at essentialsfirst.org/champions
