Family Advocates Launches The Supply Spot to Provide Personal-Care Essentials to Students

Located in the Family Advocates school-based mentoring room at La Porte Middle School, The Supply Spot is available to all students at both schools who need personal-care essentials. The resource is designed to provide students with easy,discreet access to everyday items they may need during the school day.

Supplies available through The Supply Spot include period products, deodorant, soap, dry shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, body wipes, hand sanitizer, and other basic personal-care necessities. “Sometimes something as simple as not having a personal-care item can become a much bigger distraction for a student during the school day,” said Kristy Hahn, of Family Advocates. “The Supply Spot is about making sure students have access to what they need, when they need it, without embarrassment or judgment. We are incredibly grateful to The Presbyterian Church of La Porte for helping us get this resource started, and we are excited to see our community

come together to help us keep it going.”

Students can access The Supply Spot by visiting Alisha Baughman in the Slicer Champions school-based mentoring room, asking their teacher for help, or reaching out to Alisha through their school email. Students can also connect with the school nurse, counselor, and other school staff for additional resources and support.

“We want this to be easy,” said Baughman. “Students shouldn’t feel embarrassed or uncomfortable asking for something they need. They can simply let me know what they need, and we’ll do our best to make sure they have it.”

The Supply Spot was made possible in part through an initial donation of supplies from The Presbyterian Church of La Porte. Family Advocates is now inviting community members, businesses, churches, civic organizations, and other groups to help keep the resource stocked throughout the school year. Community members interested in donating are asked to focus on new, unopened personal-care items. A focused Amazon Wishlist has also been created for those who would prefer to purchase items online.

Amazon Wishlist:

“We are excited about what The Supply Spot can mean for students,” said Jackie Dermody, Executive Director of Family Advocates. “It is a simple resource, but having access to something you need at the right moment can make a real difference in a student’s day. We are grateful to The Presbyterian Church of LaPorte for helping us take the first step, to La Porte Community School Corporation for partnering with us, and to everyone in our community who helps make resources like this possible.”

Family Advocates is a nonprofit organization serving children and families throughout LaPorte County through programs focused on advocacy, mentoring, supervised visitation, parenting education, and educational support. Through partnerships with schools, volunteers, families, and community organizations, Family Advocates works to connect children with the support, resources, and positive relationships they need to thrive.