Personal care pantry coming to King Center courtesy of donors - MLive.com

Personal care pantry coming to King Center courtesy of donors - MLive.com

JACKSON, MI -- A personal care pantry was presented to the Martin Luther King Center Monday by the Jackson Junior Welfare League. 

A member of the JJWL showed members a picture of a similar idea, which sparked the idea to create the pantry Melissa Owings Wilcox, president, said.

"We have food pantries, which is great," Wilcox said, "but I think sometimes people need other items."

Inside the pantry, personal care items like shampoo, toothpaste and feminine hygiene products are available to community members.

"Our commitment is to make sure that the King Center care pantry always has donated supplies so that we can continue to keep it stocked and people can continue to utilize it," Wilcox said.

Consumers Energy employees donated many of the items, which they gathered from hotels while traveling, Wilcox said.

Some years ago the city's health department would hand out similar items but this is the first program to become permanent at the center, said John Willis, King Center director city of Jackson community outreach director.

"It's something that is very, very needed, especially for some youth in the community that don't have access to some things that they may be able to grab from the care pantry," Willis said.