The Muskegon Area District Library (MADL) has announced the launch of a new initiative aimed at supporting the community by providing essential personal hygiene items for free. The Community Wellness Drive is seeking donations of personal hygiene products, which will be made accessible to the public at several library branches. The program is initially set to start at the Norton Shores, Muskegon Heights and Muskegon Township branches. The branches may be expanded after evaluation later this year.
“Some individuals may be experiencing difficult times and be in great need of personal hygiene items,” said MADL Director Ron Suszek. “With this Community Wellness Drive, MADL hopes to build a community network of support and safety at the library. Ideally, this will be a program supported by Muskegon County communities and can be expanded to additional locations.”
As part of this initiative, MADL is collecting items such as socks, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine hygiene products and more. The idea is for these items to be made available in discrete locations at select branches, allowing community members to access them as needed, and avoid feeling stigma or embarrassment.
Donations are being accepted at all 11 MADL branches, including White Lake Community Library and Montague Branch of Muskegon Area District Library. The collected items will be sorted and distributed to the three initial branches in mid-July, depending on community participation. The program will be re-evaluated in the fall to assess its impact and determine the feasibility of expanding it to more branches.
For additional information and questions, contact White Lake Community Library at 231-894-9531 or Montague Library at 231-893-2675.
