2025-2026 Youth in Governance Hygiene Drive

Youth in Governance is hosting a Hygiene Drive in collaboration with the Shalom Center.
The Hygiene Drive will be from Wednesday, April 1st to Friday, April 14th.

The Need

“Hygiene is a Human Right”

The Youth in Governance (YIG) leaders serve one-year terms on County Board committees. During the annual YIG bus tour, youth are introduced to Kenosha County departments and learn more about different services available for local residents. YIG members have the option of participating in a service project over the course of their term, where youth can give back to their community.

This year, three YIG leaders wanted to make a difference by serving local community members who are experiencing housing or food insecurity. To learn more about homelessness in Kenosha County, they met with Wendy Cross, Diversion Specialist at the Shalom Center. She shared more about the needs of the Shalom Center’s clients. Afterwards, the service project leaders began brainstorming on how they could make a difference in our Kenosha County community. 

The YIG service project leaders decided to take action and organize a hygiene drive this 2026 spring. The YIG youth met with another local youth leader, Erick A., who had previously made hygiene kits for the Shalom Center. The YIG youth learned more about the workload and the impact the project had. In addition to collecting donations, the YIG service project leaders applied for and received a $500 grant from the Youth As Resources Board to make hygiene kits.

The YIG service project leaders are currently in part two of their action plan, which is collecting donations. Learn more about the YIG service project below.

The Ask

Donations can be dropped off at Kenosha Public Library (Southwest Branch) from Wednesday, April 1st through Friday, April 10th. A donation bin will be hosted at Lakeview Technology Academy (Kenosha) from Monday, April 13th through Friday, April 17th.

Afterwards, the YIG youth leaders will work together to assemble hygiene kits. Then, they will donate the kits to the Shalom Center.

The Team

The three YIG Service Project Leaders developed the idea in response to a need. From across the county, they have worked together to plan, organize, and conduct outreach.