Today we’d like to introduce you to Meghan Freebeck.
Hi Meghan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
In 2016, I was working at a suicide prevention and crisis center. Through that work, I realized how many people that were reaching out in crisis also struggled to access some of the most basic resources and tools that we all need to feel human; when you don’t have access to your most basic human needs, it is unreasonable to expect someone to focus on their greater goals.
After over 12 years working in services to support people with limited income or that are unhoused, I also recognized that nonprofit services spend an unreasonable amount of staff time trying to access supplies for their clients, time that could be better spent working with them on other goals. While nonprofits may receive in-kind donations, they rarely receive what their clients most need, specifically in hygiene care. The supplies might be used, not of quality, or not fit their specific bodily needs for health improvements.
After hosting a hygiene drive to support the community, I partnered with the Department of Public Health, nonprofit services, and people who have lived experience to research and better understand the impact of not being able to access quality hygiene care. That work is what turned into founding the nonprofit, Simply the Basics, which is the first nationally reaching hygiene bank with the goal to ensure hygiene is made equitable and accessible for everyone to improve their health and wellness.
We are host of the Hygiene Locator, an online database to locate where hygiene supplies can be accessed. Additionally, this year, we are excited to launch the Simply the Basics Hygiene Bank Association, a membership-based hygiene conglomerate that includes the first and only quality control standards for hygiene distribution.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some of our greatest challenges have come down to resources. At the beginning, we were working out of apartments as volunteers, so all of the work was done early morning, evenings, and weekends with very limited space for supplies and materials.
Over time, we have been fortunate to receive donated spaces for supplies and been able to grow our services with the support of dedicated volunteers and advisory members.
Of course, we always continue to struggle to have the funds to meet the needs of the community; first from the pandemic and now, with shifts in the economy increasing the cost of hygiene supplies, the need continues to grow.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Simply the Basics has launched the first full-scale Basic Needs “Hygiene Bank” in the country. The purpose of our Hygiene Bank is to safely provide people and organizations with life essentials. The program safely distributes and redistributes quality and focused hygiene supplies, all while removing the dehumanization of handouts and empowering all to have the dignity and benefits that come with making choices.
We provide the basic hygiene needs to locations where homeless people are already receiving services through Partnerships with the organizations. This allows people experiencing homelessness to continue receiving services at a greater capacity and have access to other core programs (case management, shelter, job programs, and so forth), while ensuring that enough hygiene products are available for everyone.
We are proud to use data collection to ensure that we are improving physical health and wellness. Just like providing one meal does not end someone’s hunger, we know that one-time hygiene access is not enough. Therefore, we have established a system whereby people can get ongoing, quality hygiene care.
In 2023, we will launch a Simply the Basics National Hygiene Bank Association. The Simply the Basics Hygiene Bank Association™ will be the FIRST system in the world to establish Quality Control Standards for hygiene bank distribution services, connect existing hygiene banks to one another, and provide the tools needed to be successful in equitably improving public health through hygiene access.
And finally, we host the Hygiene Locator, the only online database to search for hygiene in your area as well as find a location to donate hygiene. You can filter searches by language, accessibility, additional services provided, demographics, and more!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
We hope to see hygiene become more accessible and equitable for everyone. Quality hygiene should be included on social service benefits alongside nutritional food, and we hope to ensure that people no longer see preventable health conditions due to limited access to hygiene care.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.simplythebasics.org
- Instagram: instagram.com/simplythebasics
- Facebook: facebook.com/simplythebasics
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@simplythebasics/featured
