High Ridge Brands to Provide Personal Care Products to Families In Need

High Ridge Brands, maker of Zest, VO5, White Rain, Coast and Rave, today announced that it will donate up to three million showers-worth of soap, shampoo, conditioner and other personal care essentials to impoverished families across America.  The company is working with the non-profit organization Family-to-Family to distribute the first million showers-worth of products during November, and help launch The Family-to-Family Shower To The People Program. The donation will help meet a serious need.  SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program, and other major Federal assistance programs don’t cover personal care items, leading millions of families to reach out to local social service organizations for help.  A 2013 study by Feeding America found that of those surveyed who were unable to afford basic household goods, 55% reported skipping shampooing and 33% reported bathing without soap as a means to save money and cope with difficult economic times. In addition, 40% of that study’s low income respondents reported skipping or delaying their rent payment in the past year to afford non-food household essentials. Starting in November, the first one million showers-worth of VO5, Zest and other high-quality High Ridge Brands products will start shipping to social service organizations in over 20 states.   Consumers will be invited to increase the donation up to another two million showers worth of products starting in January, simply by redeeming specially-marked coupons for each participating brand. “High Ridge Brands is committed to improving the lives of families everywhere.  Plain and simple, everyone deserves to start their day with dignity, feeling clean and with their best foot forward,” said James Daniels, CEO of High Ridge Brands.   “We are privileged to support the exceptional and essential work of Family-to-Family which through programs like ‘Shower To The People’ makes a difference in our neediest neighbors’ lives, every single day.” “Hard as it is to believe, the most basic personal care items, like a bar of soap, or a bottle of shampoo, are especially hard to come by for families struggling to feed their families,” said Pam Koner, Founder of Family-to-Family.  “We have long known this at Family-to-Family, and are grateful to companies like High Ridge Brands that choose to mobilize their resources and consumers to make a tangible difference.” Starting in January, specially-marked coupons for Zest, VO5, Rave, Coast and White Rain redeemed through March 15 will provide one additional shower’s-worth of products for families in need, up to a total of three million showers for the entire program.  Coupons will be available on each participating brand’s website and through an FSI that will appear in Sunday newspapers nationwide on February 2.  The initiative will be heavily promoted through each brand’s social media channels.