MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State University graduate student Hailee Campbell realized something was missing in Delaware County. With a substantial number of food pantries, she was angered by the fact that there was nothing available for residents to get hygiene supplies.
“I quickly realized that there was no place in town that had hygiene supplies,” Campbell said. “There are a couple food pantries that will get like bits and pieces of the puzzle, but no one has the complete set.”
Every Tuesday at the Common Market, Campbell and her former professor, Kimberly Hennessee, set up and give free hygiene products to those who stop by. The Common Market is a local convenience store that hosts different nonprofits during the week.
“In Delaware County, we have one of the lowest per capita incomes; we have a very large population of homeless, whether folks realize it or not,” Hennessee said.
Hennessee calls it the “Ball State Bubble,” where students and those closest to campus don’t see what the rest of Muncie and Delaware County is like. They only see the good and not what kind of difference they can make.
While the pair is further than they thought they would be in just a few months, they are ready to expand what they do. Looking for new volunteers, putting together exhibitions with other local nonprofits, and getting new stickers they’re excited about, they are hopeful to begin promoting hygiene health. According to Hennessee, this can improve people’s dignity as they go outside and help them with job opportunities.
The resources available to the community come straight from their pocket. The Hygiene Ladies are proud of how far they have come in such a short amount of time, and the connections they have made have made it all worth it.
To learn more about the nonprofit organization and what resources are available, check their website hygieneladies.org.
Contact Arlene Thompson with comments at arlene.thompson@bsu.edu
