Pharmasave in Steinbach is teaming up with the community to collect hygiene products for those in need through Soap for Hope.
The one-day event will take place from 8 AM to 8 PM on Thursday, April 24, with all items going directly to Steinbach Community Outreach (SCO).
This is the second year for Soap for Hope, following a strong turnout in 2024.
“I can't believe it, a year has gone by already since the first event last year,” says Scott Penner, owner of Pharmasave Steinbach. “We ran out of room. I think Community Outreach was scrambling to find shelf space. As the products came in, we had to move shelves, move things out of the way. As the pile grew and it felt very much like the Christmas Toy Drive at Canadian Tire. Piles and piles of stuff.”
To simplify the process for donors, Pharmasave is offering pre-made hygiene kits that can be purchased in-store.
“We have pre-made packs valued at $10 and $25," Penner shares. "Especially going into a store like ours that you may have not been in before, we've made it really easy just to go in and say, ‘Look, I like to buy two or three packs. Here you go. Thank you very much’. And then they're on their way. We’ve made it very easy this year.”
Penner says the event fits well with Pharmasave’s commitment to giving back.
“Well, I as an owner like to give back to the community and Pharmasave as a pharmacy Co-op is intimately involved with all the communities across Canada that they're involved in, so to me it just makes sense.”
He adds, “We've got tremendous support from our communities since we opened a few years ago and for me it's just a no brainer to give back to the community.”
@steinbach_online Join us for #SoapforHope on April 24 at Pharmasave in Steinbach to support #SteinbachCommunityOutreach ♬ original sound - SteinbachOnline
Myra Gerbrandt, Drop-In Centre Director at SCO, says the first event had a big impact.
“That was such an incredible time, oh my goodness. We were so pumped.”
Last year’s donations helped fill the shelves at SCO, but supplies didn’t last long, and the need continues.
“The big items are always dish soap, shampoo and conditioner. We have no conditioner,” Gerbrandt says. “Toilet paper, and body wash, which is a big empty shelf right now. Body wash just gets snapped up like that. So that would be awesome. We've got some hand soap here. We've got men's and women's deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes.”
Gerbrandt adds that while all items are welcome, they currently have enough bar soap and encourage donors to consider bringing other essentials.
Another much-needed item is laundry pods.
“We got a lot of those last year at this for this campaign and that was super helpful because then we can repackage it and depending on how big your family is or whatever and then yeah, so the pods are amazing.”
Be a Soap-erhero and join MIX 96, Country 107, AM 1250, and SteinbachOnline on Thursday at Pharmasave in Steinbach for Soap for Hope!
With files from Corny Rempel
@steinbach_online #SoapforHope is BACK for year 2 and we want to make it bigger and better than last year! Help us collect soap for #SteinbachCommunityOutreach ♬ original sound - SteinbachOnline