How it Works

No. We ask that you only include one bath-size bar of soap still in its original packaging.

Although there was a time CWS accepted gently used hand towels and wash cloths, our policy has changed. Only new wash clothes should be included in CWS Hygiene Kits

Yes. Toothbrushes from your dentist’s office can be included, but they must be individually packaged.

No. Each toothbrush needs to be in its original packaging.

Either type of clippers can be included in CWS Hygiene Kits.

Please only include a comb in each CWS Hygiene Kit.

Everyone can use a wide-tooth comb. Please only include that type of comb in your CWS Hygiene Kit. You can purchase them online here.

After extensive conversations with the agency partners who receive CWS Hygiene Kits, we learned that hand towels are often already available to their clients. Based on this feedback, we eliminated the hand towel and retained the washcloth to make the kit more practical and better suited to the needs of recipients:

Compact & Lightweight – The kit is now easier to carry and ship.

Quick-Dry & Hygienic – The washcloth dries faster in limited living conditions.

Improved Impact – By focusing on high-priority items like deodorant, lotion, and shampoo, the kit better meets the hygiene needs of recipients.

While we recognize that this change may not work for every situation, our partners confirmed that items like shampoo, deodorant, and lotion are a higher priority than a hand towel for those they serve.
Including these new items would have significantly increased the overall cost of the CWS Hygiene Kit for donors. Removing the hand towel allowed us to keep the kit’s cost at $15 while improving its overall effectiveness.

Additionally, CWS ships 60 Hygiene Kits per box. By eliminating the hand towels, the cost of shipping each box has decreased—helping us be good stewards of the generous support we receive from donors while ensuring that people in need still receive the essential items they value most.

Bandages are better suited for first aid kits rather than hygiene kits. This decision followed feedback from program partners to focus on items that address immediate hygiene needs.

Because CWS Kits are provided to neighbors around the world where a different language may be spoken, we cannot accommodate personalized notes.

CWS encourages you to sign the Blessing Wall - CWS Kits. These blessings are shared with our program partners and they appreciate knowing that people care about the needs of others. Please share this link with the others in your group and encourage them to share their prayers and blessings.