The Rock Island Public Library is hosting its eighth annual Community Comforts Drive throughout February and seeking donations of personal care, hygiene and household cleaning items for neighbors in need.
The drive will accept donations beginning today, Feb. 2, through Saturday, Feb. 28, at all three Rock Island library locations. Collected items will be distributed to Heart of Hope Outreach Center and The Third Place drop-in center to help those who struggle to afford basic necessities. Most personal care and hygiene items are not covered by SNAP benefits in Illinois, with menstrual supplies being the sole exception.
“Last year’s Community Comforts Drive collected nearly 1,500 items that greatly helped those in need,” Karrah Kuykendall, the library’s Adult Services director, said in a news release. “We are always so moved to witness our community’s sense of caring and willingness to help others, and hope to see similar or even better results this year.”
Donation boxes, which are pink, will be available at these locations:
- Downtown Library, 401 19th St.
- Southwest Library, 9010 Ridgewood Road
- Watts-Midtown Branch, 2715 30th St.
Examples of needed items include: body wash, bottled water, hand sanitizer, laundry detergent, deodorant, toilet paper, toothpaste, and new socks and underwear. A full wish list is available on the library’s website.
Heart of Hope Ministries operates a community outreach office at 1740 9th Ave., Rock Island, with a drop-in food pantry and weekly homebound delivery option. For details, contact Heart of Hope at (309) 428-4752.
The Third Place QC offers a drop-in center providing connections and resources for individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
For more information about the drive, visit the library’s event calendar at www.rockislandlibrary.org, or call (309) 732-7341.
