Local foundation creates hygiene kits for domestic violence survivors

You know the saying: A mother’s job is never done.

And Carol Freitas, who founded the Personal Care Foundation in 2019, is very busy.

“We are a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to distributing full size hygiene items to survivors of domestic violence,” she told News4.

The foundation collects donations of essentials like lotion, soap and toothpaste and distributes them to organizations that work with domestic violence survivors.

“We distribute these hygiene items or products because they’re not covered by most assistance programs,” Freitas said.

But for Mother’s Day, the foundation is putting together something special.

“These are pamper boxes for moms who are often not seen on their day because of the situation they’re in,” Freitas said.

Each one is packed full of products and a handwritten note.

This is the first year the foundation has done this, and they want to make sure they can continue to do this work.

“We are completely volunteer-run, so it’s hard when you run against, sometimes we don’t have enough money to fulfill our need to help the community that we want to help. Sometimes we don’t have enough volunteers,” said Raquel Tucker with the foundation. “[…] If you ask your neighbor or or ask your cousin or ask someone in your family, there’s someone you know who has a need for a care package, who has a need for some kind of assistance, who just needs that little bump.”

Last year, the foundation donated more than 16,000 hygiene items.

“To see the impact that this nonprofit has in the community, to see that I am able to address the Need, that I’m able to help people feel healthier, feel better. I just, it feels great,” Freitas said.