When it comes to purchasing basic items for health and hygiene, from shampoo to toothpaste to deodorant to toilet tissue for a typical family in the same household can be a challenge to most middle to low-income residence. Often households are out of luck on being stocked with pertinent necessities. Then to add a positive upward life opportunity for a disadvantage youth to attend college/vocational and potentially leave home for college life/apartment/dorm further can detrimental impact the financial capacity of the family/student/individual.

Here’s where C.A.N. (College Added Necessities), a pilot program and a brain child of a James S. Rickards alumnus and James S. Rickards High School Alumni Board Member – Sheila Thompson Williams. The program softly launched in 2017 and provided a few graduating high school seniors who were college bound with hygiene kits and dorm room items in plastic laundry baskets. The C.A.N. baskets will be handed out with coordination with high schools and verification that the student has been accepted into higher educational pursuit will be required.

A standard C.A.N. Basics kit may include a pair of clean socks, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, deodorant, wet wipes, a first aid kit, toilet tissue and feminine or male hygiene products, computer jump drive, school folders, paper and more. These can be adjusted for adjusted for different users' needs. The intent is to, at least begin purchasing items with distribution to begin April 2018/May 2018 for twenty-five (25) or more disadvantage youth. This will be an on-going yearly endeavor with the intent to sprawl city and countywide one day.