One of the greatest ongoing challenges in our work to bring awareness to hygiene poverty and solve it at a systems level is the lack of data and academic resources on the subject. Compared to more frequently studied causes like affordable housing and homelessness, food insecurity, and healthcare access, hygiene is largely overlooked.

During the 2024-2025 school year, a UW Masters of Public Administration Student Consulting Team from the UW Evans School of Policy set out to change that. Together, they created a 115-page report titled “Access to Dignity: Policy and Advocacy Opportunities for Ending Hygiene Poverty in Washington Sate”.

This report now serves as an exploration of the qualitative and quantitative impacts of hygiene poverty, and is in equal part a road map of the steps we must take as a non-profit, in coalition with other organizations, and as citizens to build lasting solutions.

We are deeply honored by and proud of the work done here by Mara Bloom, Olivia Ruuska, Saleena Salango, and Matt Stoia.

Download the full paper as a PDF Here.

Please direct any questions about this report and its contents to Irene Muller, Director of Advocacy and Outreach, at irene@essentialsfirst.org