High Ridge Brands to Donate Personal Care Items

High Ridge Brands, maker of Zest, VO5, White Rain, Coast and Rave, said it will donate up to 3 million showers-worth of soap, shampoo, conditioner and other personal care items to impoverished families across America.

The company is working with the nonprofit Family-to-Family to distribute the first million showers-worth during November, and will help launch “The Family-to-Family Shower To The People Program.” Consumers will be invited to increase the donation up to an additional 2 million showers-worth of products starting in January, by redeeming specially-marked coupons for each participating brand.

“Plain and simple, everyone deserves to start their day with dignity, feeling clean and with their best foot forward,” said James Daniels, CEO of Stamford, Conn.-based High Ridge Brands. “We are privileged to support the exceptional and essential work of Family-to-Family which through programs like ‘Shower To The People’ makes a difference in our neediest neighbors’ lives, every single day.”

SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program, and other major Federal assistance programs don’t cover personal care items, leading millions of families to reach out to local social service organizations for help. A 2013 study by Feeding America found that of those surveyed who were unable to afford basic household goods, 55 percent reported skipping shampooing and 33 percent reported bathing without soap as a means to save money and cope with difficult economic times. In addition, 40 percent of that study’s low income respondents reported skipping or delaying their rent payment in the past year to afford non-food household essentials.