Soap for Hope was a “smashing success”

Steinbach Community Outreach now has enough soap to last the rest of the year, reporting that the daylong Soap for Hope campaign was a “smashing success.” 

Office Manager Charlene Kroeker says they are still overwhelmed by the amount of soap and hygiene items that were donated by hundreds of people who came to Pharmasave in Steinbach. 

The first ever Soap for Hope was held on April 18th at Pharmasave in Steinbach and the constant stream of donations created this huge pile for Steinbach Community Outreach. They are now stocked for the rest of the year, able to provide these important items to their guests.

“We have a storage room that we have filled the shelves full. We've got stuff stacked up along the walls in my office, it's cut in half, and half of it is storage... those shelves are full of supplies now too, so it's amazing.” 

Kroeker says they have been busy for the past few days, sorting through the items and finding a place to store them. 

“Our shelves are so full, we're stuffing them into every corner that we can find, so it's absolutely fantastic.” 

She expects these items to last the rest of the year. Kroeker notes they were also surprised to receive over $1,500 in cash donations, to help purchase more soap when they do run out. 

Now that Steinbach Community Outreach has this area taken care of, they can redirect money from their soap/hygiene budget toward the Pathways Fund to support people on various pathways toward success. 

“When someone comes in for help or assistance, one of the first questions we ask is where do you want to go? What do you need and how can we help you get there? So, we want to walk that path with them and give them support along the way to help them achieve their goals.” 

Kroker says some people are looking for help finding a place to live while the next person may need financial assistance to afford rent or other daily needs. 

“And then we'll help them walk that journey of all the forms and government red tape to sign up for the benefits that they get so that they can have enough money to live off of. And some people just want our space to be warm and hang out in the wintertime and connect with other people.” 

Steinbach Community Outreach is holding the annual Rockin’ for a Reason fundraiser tonight. All money raised will go into the Pathway Fund. 

-With files from Michelle Sawatzky, Corny Rempel