BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — For many people experiencing homelessness, something as simple as soap or a clean pair of socks can make a big difference. Here’s how you can help the most vulnerable in our community.
“We’re just like everybody else. We deserve a second chance. Lots of us here are here for reasons we had no choice about. I think you should donate, any donation helps because it goes a long way,” Christopher Puente said.
Puente has been a client at the M Street Navigation Center for four months. “Before I got here to the shelter, I was struggling with addiction. Since I’ve been here, it took a little while, but I am sober now,” he said.
Puente tells me much of his progress is thanks to the support he’s received from the Community Action Partnership of Kern and the M Street Navigation Center.
CAPK is hosting a health and hygiene donation drive for residents staying at the center. Organizers say many people who arrive often don’t have even the most basic necessities, like toothbrushes, shampoo, or clean socks. These donations help staff provide those essentials while guests work toward stable housing.
The M Street Navigation Center offers more than shelter. It provides hot meals, showers, and case management services designed to help individuals transition off the streets and into permanent homes.
Clients at M Street tell me community donations make a real difference, helping them get clean, feel good, and restore a sense of dignity.
“I would sometimes go days without a shower, and having hygiene items at arm’s reach makes a big difference. I smell good now. I used to be really self-conscious about my appearance because I couldn’t take showers or use lotion on my dry skin," Puente said.
Anyone can help by donating new hygiene products, socks, and other basic items. Contributions are accepted during regular business hours at the center until the end of the drive.
To donate, you can drop items off at 2900 M Street.
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