The We in Me: Community Care Kits

You and your family are invited to join homeLA during National Homelessness Awareness Month for The We in Me: Community Care Kits.

Community Care Kits is a free family-oriented event that provides an opportunity for parents and their school-aged children to spend meaningful time together assembling hygiene kits for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Our hope is that, in offering a network for care (where everyone helps each other), this event strengthens our capacity to embody empathy towards others, because empathy is an emotional pathway to action.

Community Care Kits is a free outdoor family event. It will be facilitated by homeLA collaborator, artist and activist, Emily Marchand and organizer and advocate, Caitlyn Montgomery. The two have been working together for years to bring more essential resources to Angelenos living in Skid Row by finding creative ways to energize their communities into supporting people experiencing homelessness.

Each kit costs $12 and we have reached our goal to raise $6000 to purchase enough kit items to prepare at 500 kits for distribution across multiple service organizations in Skid Row, including Downtown Women's Center, Brown Bag Lady, and Inner City Arts. It is thanks to the support of the communities of The Box, Emily Marchand, Caitlyn Montgomery and homeLA that you have this opportunity. You will find more information about the kits in the FAQ section below.

Admission to the event is free and requires a timed-entry reservation for either 9a, 10a, 11a or 12p. Each timed entry slot will support 8 groups of 8 people. We encourage pods of 8 to order tickets so you can be at the same table.

We request that the event stays child-centered. Each group will have 45 minutes to pack 16 hygiene packs. This allows time for families to talk, ask and answer questions, listen, and share in the experience.

So...Get a group together, register and participate in our Community Care Kit event!

The We in Me is homeLA’s pilot education program that considers homelessness through the lens of empathy with several programs in November.

How do I talk to my kids about homelessness? An empathetic approach to talking to kids about homelessness and poverty goes a long way. Here are some great articles to help you with that process.

“What do I say?” How to talk to kids about homelessness

Talking With Children About Poverty and Homelessness

How to talk to your kids about homelessness

How To Talk Homelessness With Your Kids

How to Talk to Your Kids About Homelessness

What are hygiene kits? Hygiene Kits are personal toiletry items for health and wellbeing.

Our hygiene kits will include items, such as: shampoo, conditioner, soap/body wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand lotion, socks, deodorant, chapstick, sunscreen, hand sanitizer , face masks , comb, nail clippers, hand towels, first aid kit, and q-tips.

Why did you accept donations instead of items? We are artists, advocates and small organizations who are concerned about our carbon footprint. Receiving your generous donation makes it easier for us to buy in bulk to reduce waste.

Our family would like to donate items. What do you suggest? We would be happy to accept these new and unopened items in all sizes: feminine hygiene items (like pads and tampons), underwear, and socks.

Alternatively, if you or someone you know can donate 500 of one item listed on our list, please contact us at [email protected]. We will be happy to assist you with this donation.

What safety precautions are being done? We are interested in keeping everyone safe. To do so, we are following LA County Department of Public Health orders as they are updated. Currently, we are maintaining the safety measures described below.

Face Masks Required Indoors: All visitors over the age of two must wear a proper face mask over their nose and mouth when inside buildings to use bathrooms.

In our desire to create communities of care, we are asking that all participants wear their masks outdoors, as there will be unvaccinated children at this event.

Cleaning: High-touch surfaces such as door handles will be cleaned regularly. So are the workstations. Restrooms are being cleaned after each time slot.

Hand Sanitizer: You will find hand sanitizer near doors and other high-touch areas. Gloves will also be provided to perform packing.

This programming is made possible through a partnership with The Box and The Box artists, Corazón del Sol and Los Angeles Poverty Department; and, in part, from a grant by the California Arts Council. homeLA is fiscally-sponsored by Fulcrum Arts

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