Two Belmont High School students are leading a community organization that aspires to provide hygiene products to homeless shelters in Massachusetts.
Senior Zulal Islamoglu was inspired to start Packing With Purpose this spring while working as a dental assistant at Worcester Pediatrics, a medical clinic in Worcester, Mass.
“I realized how much I love dentistry, and I knew I wanted to do something to help the community,” she said. “I thought about making little packages.”
In April, Islamoglu proposed the idea to junior Mariam Makarova one morning before school. “Originally, the idea was just having to do with dental supplies, like toothpaste and toothbrushes,” Makarova said. “I thought that was a good idea and she asked if I wanted to join and I said, ‘Yes’.”
Both students were already involved in community service. Islamoglu said she has been preparing meals for homeless people since her freshman year through Community Cooks, a volunteer organization based in Somerville. Makarova said she began making cards last year for Cards for Hospitalized Kids, a nonprofit organization based in Chicago that distributes cards to children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald houses.
After researching local homeless shelters, the students learned the shelters’ needs far exceeded their original idea to provide only dental products.
“We thought, ‘Why would we limit what we give them?’” Makarova said.
Islamoglu and Makarova sent emails to about 15 shelters. Of those, The Psychological Center, a nonprofit organization in Lawrence, and South Middlesex Opportunity Council, a nonprofit organization in Framingham, were interested in partnering with them.
The students asked both shelters for a list of their most-needed items. They then found quality products at affordable prices, usually on Amazon, and calculated an approximate cost to create each hygiene kit. They started a GoFundMe for each shelter.
“I reached out to people that I think would be willing to donate,” Islamoglu said. “I reached out to people like co-workers, my mom’s friends, and I told the class president to promote it.”
For The Psychological Center, which needs deodorant, body wash, ChapStick, sunscreen, feminine hygiene products, and toilet paper, the students’ goal is to create 55 kits at about $12 each. For The South Middlesex Opportunity Council, which needs shampoo, conditioner, razors, shaving cream, and sunscreen, their goal is 80 kits at about $9 each. So far, they’ve raised about $40.
Brittany King, a guidance counselor at Belmont High School, remembers when Makarova told her about Packing With Purpose.
“It was like, ‘I want to do this. How do we get this done?’” King said. “She’ll still email me from time to time, asking, ‘Can you post this?’ because we can post it to students. So, I’m happy to help.”
The number of homeless people in Massachusetts increased about 53% between 2023 and 2024, from 19,141 to 29,360, according to the 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress.
Massachusetts House Bill 2390 would establish a task force to study the feasibility of including hygiene products under the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
Islamoglu and Makarova share information about the organization and instructions about how people can donate on their website, packingwithpurpose.org, and Instagram account, @packing_w_purpose.
“Our goal is just to connect with people, help them and get their needs met,” Islamoglu said.