Refresh Frisco will distribute record number of hygiene packs
Soap, shampoo and deodorant aren’t on the wish list for most children and teenagers – until they have to go without it.
Elizabeth Watkins made it her mission to ensure that no students in the Frisco and Little Elm school districts go without basic hygiene items. That’s why she started Refresh Frisco, a nonprofit that distributes hygiene packs to qualifying students in both school districts.
“There’s so much more to good hygiene than being clean,” said Elizabeth, the president and founder of Refresh Frisco. “They feel good about themselves and it boosts their confidence. It helps them form lasting relationships.”
By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, the organization was serving 1,400 students and Elizabeth said she expects that number will increase for this school year. Inflation has increased the cost of everything for families, so the importance of the donated hygiene items has never been greater. It allows these families to spend money on food, rent and utilities.
But it also means the cost for Refresh Frisco to buy these items – even when purchased in bulk – is also rising. Each pack costs between $25 for elementary age students to $55 for teenagers. This school year, the packs will be distributed in September, November, February and May. Each pack is filled with enough supplies to last about three months.
Refresh Frisco has a close relationship with the schools and sometimes counselors alert them to an emergency situation that comes up between the quarterly distributions and they have to address it right away.
“We sign up new kids every day,” said Elizabeth. “We rely on the community to help fill these packs. That is what keeps us going.”
That’s where organizations like the CoServ Charitable Foundation come in.
Elizabeth said she first learned about the CoServ Charitable Foundation while reading Texas Co-op Power magazine. She applied for a CCF grant and received it at the end of 2021.
The proceeds allowed Refresh Frisco to buy bulk packages of shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, lotion, sunscreen, shaving cream and conditioner.
“Refresh Frisco fills a very important need in Frisco and Little Elm ISDs by making sure students look and feel their best every day,” said Jennifer Ebert, CCF Outreach Coordinator. “They are a first-time grant recipient and we’re so proud to partner with them on this worthy cause.”
The grant that Refresh Frisco received is yet another example of how the CoServ Charitable Foundation’s Operation Roundup benefits the communities we serve. Thank you to all the Members and Customers who have their bills rounded up to the nearest dollar to fund grants like this one! We couldn’t do it without you!
Refresh Frisco
P.O. Box 5367
Frisco
