Volunteers making letter carriers for Idaho Falls Community Food Basket’s food drive in 2024. “American Idol” finalist Paige Anne is the ambassador for this year’s Global Youth Service Day. Watch her message to local youth in the video above. | Courtesy photo and video
IDAHO FALLS – Global Youth Service Day is April 25 to 27, and a local group is asking the community for help.
JustServe, an organization that connects volunteers to local service opportunities, is hosting the 2025 Global Youth Service Day in Idaho Falls. From now until April 26, it’s collecting items for hygiene kits. Idaho Falls Just Serve Specialists Gaylen and Susan Stucki are asking for specific types of donations, which can be dropped off at three locations.
The items needed for each kit include one pack of travel-size facial tissues, one roll of 15-inch by 25-inch hand towels, one comb, one individually wrapped toothbrush, one individually wrapped bath-size bar of soap, one 12-15-ounce bottle of shampoo, and one six-ounce box of toothpaste.
On April 26, youth are invited to assemble the hygiene kits. It’s happening at a local church at 1200 Dunbar Drive in Idaho Falls from 10 a.m. to noon.
The completed kits will be given to the Idaho Falls Humanitarian Center to distribute to various nonprofit organizations. Some of those organizations include the American Red Cross, Behavioral Crisis Center, City of Refuge, Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, The Giving Cupboard and many more.
“They know where the real need is and they know that the people who get them really will need them,” Idaho Falls Humanitarian Director Mozelle Neville tells EastIdahoNews.com.
Neville says these hygiene kits are in high demand. The staff distributes 100-150 every week. Data provided by the center shows 4,377 kits were delivered throughout eastern Idaho in 2024.
“The need locally is absolutely amazing,” she says.
Global Youth Service Day has been happening around the world for 37 years, according to its website. It’s only the second year for the event in Idaho Falls. In 2024, dozens of volunteers made thousands of letter carrier bags for a food drive hosted by the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket.
Susan was pleased with the turnout last year and is hoping this year’s service project is equally supported.
“There’s something special that happens with the youth when they serve. They’re excited and enthused about life and when they help someone else, it spreads joy and happiness,” Susan says.
Anyone is welcome to make a donation, but the kit assembling project is specifically for youth. Donations can be dropped off at Smith RV, Century 21 or the Blue Cross of Idaho.
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