Public Invited to Participate in Library's Hygiene Kit Donation Drive for Annual MLK Day of Service
For the seventh year, the Kansas City Public Library is collecting donations of travel-sized personal care items for a hygiene kit drive as part of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service.
The MLK Day of Service is a defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable, underpin racial equity, expand civic opportunities, and foster respect for individual differences.
From January 2 to 16, patrons can visit any Library location to drop off supplies in marked donation bins.
Then, the public is invited to the Library to drop in to help sort and pack donated items into kits on Tuesday, January 20, in Central Library’s Helzberg Hall (on the fifth floor) from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Volunteers must be 18 or older.
The Library's Community Resources team will distribute these kits throughout the year to individuals facing life challenges and to area social service agencies.
The new AmeriCorps Library Corps cohort will join community volunteers to work at the event. Fifteen Library Corps members are stationed at six Library locations; they serve as tech coaches, assist outreach staff, help patrons build digital skills and navigate technology, and promote and attend community outreach events.
Items accepted for the kits include:
- Shampoo
- Body wash and soap
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Washcloths
- Combs and hairbrushes
- Nail clippers
- Adhesive bandages
- Razors
- Lip balm
- Hand sanitizer (alcohol-free hand sanitizer is preferred)
- Laundry detergent (Sample size liquid laundry detergent)
- Lotion
- Baby wipes (Small packages for individual use)
- Q-tips
All items must be unopened and unused.
The Library participates in the MLK Day of Service through its AmeriCorps program, joining with hundreds of other AmeriCorps sponsors to advance Dr. King's vision of a "beloved community." AmeriCorps members and community volunteers will assemble the hygiene kits as part of their service.
The annual MLK Day of Service spotlights service as a powerful force to bridge economic and social divides today and throughout the year. It also provides an opportunity to join neighbors and local leaders to tackle community challenges and strengthen the nation.
Would you like to help the Library fill donation gaps? Donate at kclibrary.org/donate and mention the 2026 hygiene drive in the comment box or on the check memo line.