While poverty awareness usually focuses on food and housing, a person needs other things too. We understand a person needs other things to live. Individuals and families struggle to think about anything else when they are focused on meeting their basic needs like a place to stay; However, our goal is to eliminate this stressor so that people can concentrate on lifting themselves out of poverty, focus on completing their education, advancing in their careers, nurturing families, or other priorities, allowing them to thrive.

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Understanding Hygiene Insecurity: A Dignity-Centered Lens

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At Project Circles of Support, we recognize hygiene insecurity—also known as hygiene poverty—as a hidden crisis affecting thousands of families across Missouri and beyond. It’s the inability to afford everyday hygiene essentials like shampoo, toilet paper, deodorant, menstrual products, dish soap, and more. For families living with limited income, accessing these items can be surprisingly difficult—and deeply dehumanizing.

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Nearly 1 in 4 families face the “heat, eat, or health” dilemma, where they must choose between paying for food, utilities, healthcare, or other basic needs. Hygiene often falls to the bottom of the list—not because it’s unimportant, but because it’s unaffordable.

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The consequences are profound. Lack of access to hygiene products impacts both physical and mental health, increasing the risk of infections, social isolation, anxiety, and depression. It can affect a child’s confidence at school, a parent’s ability to interview for a job, or a caregiver’s sense of self-worth.

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At Project Circles of Support, we believe no one should have to choose between soap and self-esteem. That’s why we’ve launched Missouri’s first large-scale Hygiene Hub—to ensure that dignity, health, and choice are never out of reach.

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Our Impact

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Enhancing Health and Well-Being in Vulnerable Communities.

 

Our goal is to enhance and maintain the overall health and well-being of low-income communities, individuals at risk of homelessness, and those currently experiencing homelessness. We strive to make hygiene products more accessible and equitable for all.

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Additionally, we aim to save nonprofits valuable time and resources by managing, securing, and redistributing their in-kind and hygiene-related needs. This allows these organizations to concentrate their efforts on serving their clients and fulfilling their mission.

 

In response to the growing crisis of hygiene insecurity, Project Circles of Support proudly launched Missouri’s first large-scale Hygiene Hub—a dignity-centered initiative designed to ensure that organizations serving individuals and families with limited income or experiencing homelessness have consistent access to essential hygiene supplies.

 

Our Hygiene Hub does more than distribute products—it builds systems of care. We partner with service providers to stock what’s needed, and redistribute surplus items to reduce waste and maximize impact. This ensures that every hygiene item reaches the hands of someone who truly needs it.

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Just as a single meal cannot end hunger, a one-time hygiene box cannot solve hygiene-related health challenges. That’s why Project Circles of Support provides ongoing, trauma-informed hygiene support through multiple channels—including direct-to-recipient care, community hubs, and partner organizations. Our goal is sustained health, restored dignity, and empowered choice.

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Through this model, we’re not just offering soap or shampoo—we’re offering hope, healing, and a foundation for self-worth.

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