Basic hygiene kits created for Silver Valley residents in need

KELLOGG — Last week, AmeriCorps collected and distributed supplies for homeless people through the Silver Valley Community Resource Center.

The AmeriCorps team and volunteers created basic hygiene kits with shampoo, soap, hand sanitizer and other essentials at the Kellogg Public Library.

More than 100 kits and about 50 senior care packages were assembled to be later distributed through the Silver Valley Community Resource Center and local churches.

While community issues stemming from the superfund site remains a core focus, Silver Valley Community Resource Center founder Barbara Miller said the group’s goal is to also aid those who are homeless or on the verge of becoming homeless. 

“This time of the year, they’re moving to the riverbanks and the river, and camping because of the weather conditions,” Miller said. 

Miller called the kit assembly a way to reach out and be connected to local needs. 

“Homeless people don’t get acknowledged in the Silver Valley. We just know they’re here. There are so many needs here, and we’re not fulfilling them,” Miller said.

The group does outreach with churches, schools, Community Action Partnership and various social services. 

Jana Bodily-Roan of AmeriCorps said outreach efforts in Boise, Kellogg and Pocatello were selected based on the poverty levels among the Idaho Health rankings. 

“They also have a site here that centers on one of our AmeriCorps postings, so we thought it would be good for us to partner,” Bodily-Roan said.

With the kits ready for local outreach centers, Cecily Niemi and Siobhan Curet were among those who started creating personalized cards for isolated seniors through Brighten A Day, a nonprofit that combats isolation and spreads cheer.

“The coming together of this project is very timely and very helpful as it’s an underserved community in a lot of ways,” Miller said.