The beginning of the school year marks a flurry of activity at the Kane County ROE. The Youth Outreach staff is busy catching up with their current students and ensuring that they return to school. One of their activities is creating personal hygiene kits for those students they serve in Kane County.

The ROE Youth Outreach Staff distributes these kits throughout the year, as needed. Approximately 50 bags will be dispersed. The ROE purchases the items for the kits such as shampoo/conditioner, body wash, deodorant, wet wipes, laundry detergent, toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss.

Pat Dal Santo, ROE Regional Superintendent observed “We seek to support students with their immediate needs and then find community resources to support them if necessary. The Youth Outreach staff consistently discusses barriers to successful school attendance and determines how we might help to meet those needs.”

According to Jimmy Pawola, ROE Equal Chance Program, “Students have a right to be successful in school. This starts with the basic need of having the right supplies to be prepared for class every day, including personal hygiene items.”

The Equal Chance Program assists Kane County School Districts by providing outreach and materials to schools and places that have a frequent in-flux of unaccompanied youth and homeless families.