Carolina Cares is The Poston Foundation’s direct-aid initiative for people facing hardship, instability, homelessness, displacement, or immediate gaps in basic necessities. The current program centers on practical Essentials Kits assembled around everyday items that can be useful immediately.
What an Essentials Kit can include
The kit framework is organized around practical categories rather than a rigid one-size-fits-all package. Contents can change with the season, distribution setting, available funding, donated supplies, and community need.
- Hygiene and personal-care items such as soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, wipes, feminine hygiene products, and hand sanitizer.
- Clean socks and other useful clothing basics.
- Bottled water and shelf-stable snacks.
- Basic first-aid and appropriate seasonal items.
- Relevant local resource information when suitable and reasonably current.
Simple by design. Careful in execution.
The operating model connects fundraising, purchasing or approved in-kind support, kit preparation, distribution, recordkeeping, and reporting. The goal is straightforward: useful supplies prepared consistently and delivered through an accountable local process.
A clear packing checklist and practical inventory records help volunteers prepare kits and help the Foundation understand what has been purchased, donated, assembled, and distributed. Distribution records can capture the date, location or partner, and kit count without unnecessary personal information about recipients.
The current launch brief uses a $5,000 goal for an estimated scope of approximately 200 kits. A separate twelve-month framework uses a $30,000 budget and a target of approximately 1,000 kits.
Support can take more than one form
Individuals can give directly, businesses and community organizations can sponsor Carolina Cares, and approved in-kind supplies can help stretch the supply budget. Volunteer interest is also part of the program’s operating model when defined preparation or distribution needs are ready.
Explore the full Carolina Cares program, review sponsorship levels, or support the initiative.
