Niagara Falls Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee Gives Back to the Community in a United Way

Last month, the Niagara Falls Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee students displayed their commitment to building a better community by supporting a Hygiene Kit packing party. The youth council collected donations of hygiene products such as shampoo, soap and toothpaste, to assemble Hygiene Kits that were collected by the Niagara Falls Fire Department.

This isn’t the first time the Fire Department has connected with our Community Impact staff for hygiene items and Welcome Home Kits. These kits are helpful to have available inside firetrucks as hygiene items can be given to people on the street and the Welcome Home Kits are for those who lost everything in fires, especially individuals in low-income families who don’t have insurance to replace all their items.

United Way was delighted to bridge the gap between the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee and the local fire department, with the students jumping at the opportunity to support their local first responders. By organizing a community-wide product collection drive, the students collected nearly half the products needed on their own. United Way supplied the rest of the products to allow the group to assemble over 100 hygiene kits.

“MYAC is always looking to support the Niagara Falls community in different ways, and taking on this project has been very important to us,” said Isabella Berardi, Chair of the MYAC Mental Health Subcommittee. “This initiative in support of some members of our community that are most in need is an amazing way to give back and make a positive impact.”

Hygiene Kits provide access to essential everyday items for those experiencing financial insecurity or homelessness. With inflation impacting the costs of these essentials across the board, many in our community struggle to afford everything they need. Allowing everyone access to these basic needs can help provide a sense of dignity to those who otherwise may not have the means to support their personal hygiene.

The Niagara Falls Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee is a committee dedicated to providing a voice for students in Niagara Falls while advising Niagara Falls City Council on the needs of local youth. You can find them on Instagram at @nfmyac. If you would like to learn more about Hygiene Kits and how you can get involved in helping your community through United Way, visit the Community Initiatives page on our website.