Personal-care drive to benefit Safe House for Women

Leslie Washington is a domestic violence survivor, and she’s organized a personal-care drive to benefit the Safe House for Women — and, by extension, the community.

Washington, who is also a member of SEMO Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said she lived in the Safe House for six months when she first came to Cape Girardeau.

“This is very near and dear to my heart,” she said. “They came and helped me out of a situation where I needed to be safe.”

Washington, who has survived domestic violence and gun violence, said this personal-care drive is something she can do for the Safe House to help get supplies and items they need.

Even though the items will go to the women and children at the shelter primarily, Washington said, “This will also help women like myself who can’t sometimes get the dishwashing liquid, body wash, toothpaste, because it’s so expensive.”

The pantry at the Outreach Center will be refilled by these items, Washington said.

Donors can drop off items at several locations.

In Cape Girardeau: Mount Mariah Missionary Baptist Church at 200 Broadway, First Presbyterian Church at 235 Broadway, Old Town Cape at 338 Broadway (fourth floor), Codefi at 338 Broadway (sixth floor), Lorenz & Lorenz and Semo Media at 339 Broadway, The Corner Store at 439 Broadway, The Bank of Missouri at 440 Broadway, Discovery Playhouse at 502 Broadway, Annie Laurie’s at 536 Broadway, Suite 72 Barbershop at 821 C Broadway, St. James AME Church at 516 North St., Chick-fil-A at 3333 Gordonville Road, Great Clips at 118 Siemers Drive, Servpro at 166 LaSalle St. and Threadz at 115 N. Main St.

In Jackson: Southeast HealthPoint Fitness at 410 W. Main St. and Treehouse Salon at 108 W. Adams St.

Items requested include shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, soap, body wash, combs and brushes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, razors, shaving cream, aftershave, hand and body lotion, lip balm, female personal care items, laundry detergent, cotton swabs, bandages, baby products and paper products such as tissues, toilet paper, paper towels, and so on.

The drive is ongoing through Feb. 15.

Jessica Hill, executive director of the Safe House for Women, said she is greatly appreciative of the personal-care drive.

“They definitely selected very practical items that our clients are in need of every day, which we really appreciate,” Hill said. “Since we opened our new, larger shelter in June, we have seen the number of adults and children we are providing shelter to increase: We have essentially doubled the number of people we have helped so far since we moved in.”

Hill said full-size items are most helpful to the shelter’s clients and those at the outreach office.

And, she said, information about the best products for ethnic hair care are particularly useful.

Hill said the partnership between the Safe House for Women and SEMO Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America makes good sense.

“There’s definitely an alignment between us,” Hill said. “We would like for our community to be free of violence, and that includes gun violence as well as domestic violence. If we can work together to make our community safer, we appreciate the opportunity to do that.”