Kids in Yellowknife schools have a new discreet place to access basic hygiene products they can’t get at home, thanks to Yellowknifer Miriame Giroux.
Miriame Giroux meets with students at Mildred Hall to explain the Everyones Closet project and what they can access for free.
The Everyone's Closet initiative, started up with a small community service grant from Rising Youth, stocks shelves with everything from shampoo to clean clothes and laundry detergent.
“My mom always taught me to be kind and help others when you can,” she said.
Giroux, 21, grew up and went to school in Yellowknife from kindergarten to grade 12.
“Many of us in Yellowknife have experienced poverty and it can happen to anyone,” she said.
“I really care about the students and it sucks not having shampoo or soap or clean clothes, especially for kids, because they can’t buy stuff on their own,” she said. “A lot of people struggle sometimes with basic necessities, especially kids and students. They deserve to have those things and to feel clean and have clothes that fit them.”
Giroux stocked shelves in three schools: Kalemi Dene School in Ndilo, Sir John Franklin High School and Mildred Hall School.
Although the funding is a one-off, with $1,500, Giroux has started up shelves in all three schools that she hopes to sustain with donations.
Her vision is seeing positive reception, said Kalemi Dene School principal Meagan Wowk.
The school has seen obvious uptake of the program and is already filling shelves again using stock purchased with the initial grant.
Brian Devogt, the father of one of the school’s teachers is a carpenter. He generously built and donated shelves to the school, said Wowk.
The school already provides emergency food packages for families, but Everyone’s Closet goes a step further, said Wowk.
The need is there and kids are excited to see the project in the school, she said.
“I just replenished it last week and kids were accessing it right away,” said Wowk.
Giroux thought “outside the box” for the types of necessities students have but might be reluctant to ask an adult for, including condoms and pregnancy tests at the school, which teaches kindergarten up to grade 10.
“Those are important for kids to access,” said Wowk.
“Miriame left us with a huge container of stock so when we’re ready we throw things in. We have a big bin of all kinds of goodies,” said Wowk.
“How grateful we are for Miriame to consider us and that she took this initiative and is seeking other donations. What a wonderful leader,” she said.
Students can scoop up shampoo, conditioner, body wash and feminine hygiene products with the promise of complete privacy, said Giroux.
“It feels better if you don’t have to ask someone and you feel more independent,” she said.
Donations can come through the schools directly or to Everyone’s Closet, which Giroux runs as a Facebook page.
“That’s my dream, that it will always be there for the students.”