Tiffin Middle School receives $2,050 Hygiene Closet grant

TIFFIN, Ohio - Tiffin Middle School has received a $2,050 grant from the Tiffin Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council to purchase supplies for its student Hygiene Closet.

The Hygiene Closet provides personal-care necessities to students in grades 6-8. Available items include deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion, lip balm, feminine hygiene products and emergency changes of clothing.

Students can request items privately through an online form shared in school announcements. They do not have to ask for assistance face to face. Students may pick up their requested items from the counseling office after school or have staff discreetly place them in their locker.

“If a student is worried about their personal hygiene or appearance, that becomes another barrier they carry into the classroom,” TMS counselor Melissa Mellott said. “The Hygiene Closet allows us to say, ‘We’ve got you,’ in a way that is private, supportive and free from shame.”

The closet developed over time from the school’s practice of keeping extra clothing available for students. As staff discussed hygiene with middle school students and received more requests for basic necessities, the effort grew into a more organized resource.

“Students are better able to focus on learning when they feel comfortable, confident and supported,” TMS Principal Ryan Imke said. “Melissa and our counseling team have created a thoughtful and private way to meet a very real need. We are grateful to the Tiffin Community Foundation and its Youth Advisory Council for helping us remove this barrier for our students.”

The grant was awarded in the spring and will allow TMS to replenish its supplies as its current inventory runs low. It was made possible through the generosity of the late Sherman and Virginia White, Tiffin residents who established a trust fund to support charitable work in their community.

The Hygiene Closet is currently available to TMS students.