JLOSH restocks the Orange School District nurses’ pantries

Editor Published: October 31, 2017 | Updated: October 30, 2017 2 minutes read

Photo Courtesy of JLOSH
Junior League of the Oranges and Short Hills member Kristen Fay works with Barry Devone, community engagement officer for the Orange Public School District.

ORANGE, NJ — In collaboration with 28 Days Project and local dentists, Junior League of the Oranges and Short Hills restocked the nurses’ pantries in the Orange School District with non-medical wellness essentials.

According to JLOSH, many children in the area attend school lacking adequate clothing and other basic needs. The lack of access to these basic items has a detrimental impact in a child’s ability to learn and thrive at school. The Nurses’ Pantries Program within the Orange School District is a vital resource for children in need. The pantries provide basic items and hygiene products to students who may not otherwise have access to them.

The Orange School District asked JLOSH for assistance in restocking its pantries with feminine hygiene products, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste. 28 Days Project, a local nonprofit that provides feminine hygiene products to women in need, donated 30 boxes — 750 pads — to the district. JLOSH also received support from area dentists, who have donated toothbrushes and toothpaste. Dentists who helped include Judith Barker and Nadia Majeed. In total, JLOSH is supplying the nurses’ pantries with 227 sticks of deodorant, 291 toothbrushes and 240 tubes of toothpaste.

“We are thrilled to once again partner with the Orange School District to ensure students have access to the basic items supplied by the nurses’ pantries,” JLOSH President Rosemary Mattson said in a press release. “We are dedicated to closing the gap to many of the access issues affecting low-income school-aged children in our service area. By providing basic hygiene supplies to the school nurses, students can focus on succeeding in school.”

“Women need access to feminine care products every 28 days. Some women simply cannot afford these products and have to sideline activities, school or work for a few days of the month,” 28 Days Project co-founder Jamy Barton said in the release. “Our mission through 28 Days Project is to provide women in need with feminine care products for a less stressful and more confident period. Partnering with local nonprofits like JLOSH keeps us connected to the specific needs in our area and provides a trusted distribution channel to regularly get products into the hands of women.”

“JLOSH has proven to be a vital partner to the Orange Public Schools District. Their unmeasurable support has afforded us the ability to provide well needed personal products for our students,” Janet McClouden of the Orange School District said in the release.