At One Fellowship Church, we desire to Love God, Love People, and Share Jesus. We want to continue the emphasis on Dignified Diversity by focusing this year's Christmas offering around schools in our community.
In our schools, many teachers and families face an ongoing struggle to provide the essentials that fuel academic success and support personal well-being. Community back-to-school drives often equip classrooms and students with basic supplies in August, but by mid-year, resources are running low, and critical needs go unmet. To bridge this gap, we’re organizing this Christmas offering that combines two essential supports for student and teacher success.
Classroom supplies for teachers and hygiene boxes for students and their families. Beyond textbooks and pencils, access to personal care items is fundamental to a child’s dignity and ability to thrive in school. For families facing financial challenges, hygiene essentials like soap, toothpaste, and other personal care items can be difficult to access, impacting students’ health, confidence, and attendance.
Hygiene boxes not only provide students with essential items but also the dignity of self-care, allowing them to focus on learning without worry. Teachers, too, often spend their own money to keep classrooms stocked with everything from hand sanitizer to paper, especially as resources run low mid-year. By supporting this fundraiser, you ensure that both teachers and students are equipped holistically—with supplies that empower learning and hygiene products that preserve dignity and well-being.
Poverty and Hygiene Insecurity: Approximately 20% of Indianapolis residents live below the poverty line, with families often prioritizing essentials like food and housing over hygiene products. Studies show that households struggling financially frequently lack access to basic hygiene items, which impacts everything from health to school attendance for children.
School-Based Hygiene Programs: Many schools in Indianapolis report that students miss school because they lack access to hygiene supplies. Programs have highlighted the high demand for items like toothpaste, deodorant, and soap, especially among families with children in school. A few local nonprofits have hygiene programs alongside food pantries. They’ve observed that, while food pantries are commonly stocked, hygiene items are less frequently available yet highly requested.
Homelessness and Transitional Housing: According to the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) in Indianapolis, there are thousands of families and individuals experiencing homelessness or living in temporary housing each year. Hygiene items are a frequent request, as these individuals often lack access to private facilities for maintaining personal care.
OUR GOALS:
We want to raise funds to help support our local teachers and families.
Together, we can provide our teachers and students with the tools they need to feel confident, capable, and cared for. Join us in making a meaningful impact that goes beyond the classroom, strengthening both dignity and success across our school community.