Union plumbers team up with International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation to provide personal care items to homeless : NEREJ

Boston, Massachusetts Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 12 and the Greater Boston Plumbing Contractors Association have partnered with several plumbing industry organizations to provide “hygiene buckets” containing hair care and feminine hygiene products, dental care and shaving kits, and other items to men and women living in two city shelters.

Union plumbers from Local 12 joined the Greater Boston PCA, as well as the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials and the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation to provide hygiene kits to 200 men and women living at Rosie's Place and the Pine Street Inn. The latest donation was part of a new program the IWSH launched in Key West, Florida, in January that aims to provide essential hygiene supplies to people in underserved communities who may not be able to afford them.

“The Hygiene Bucket Challenge provides the sanitation industry with an opportunity to improve access to hygiene for homeless and low-income residents in their own community,” said Robyn Fischer, IWSH's senior director for North America. “In a city where 5,200 people are homeless and about 18% of residents live below the poverty line, this project allows our sanitation industry to give back and make a difference. The Hygiene Bucket Challenge shows how small, doable actions can make a big difference in people's lives.”

IWSH, the nonprofit arm of IAPMO, focuses on leveraging sanitation industry resources to create social impact in underserved communities and those who struggle with access to water and sanitation. The kits were purchased by volunteers and assembled at Local 12's headquarters in Dorchester. The kits were delivered in Local 12's 911 plumber van.

“We are proud to have participated in the Hygiene Bucket Challenge,” said Tim Fandel, Executive Director of Local 12. “Our members work in our neighborhoods every day and know how important access to hygiene products and clean water is. We are glad we could do our part to support IWSH in this important endeavor.”

“Keeping our communities healthy is one of the sanitation industry's most important responsibilities,” said Andrew DeAngelo, executive director of the Greater Boston PCA. “We all have a part to play in helping vulnerable populations, and it has been an honor to help provide so many men and women here in Boston with the essentials they need.”