GREENSBORO, N.C. — It's another busy morning for Kyosha Lowery. Her assembly line of shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes and feminine products is nearly empty. She's packed more than 100 jumbo-sized Ziploc bags filled with lots of items.
Working with Lisa Cheek, an Asheboro City Schools social worker, Lowey has distributed these hygiene bags to middle and high school students in need in the past two months. The bags are stuffed with hygiene products tailored to fit the needs of high school and middle school students, both male and female. Students can approach the workers and be given the bags for free, discreetly.
"Her outreach, her pouring loving heart has been an extraordinary gift," Cheek said.
Lowery's 'Give Back' project has distributed 400 bags so far this semester, and the need has continually been renewed, something that hasn't slipped by her since she began.
"You can always get school supplies," Lowery said, "but people don't think about their personal hygiene. People don't think about the simple little things that can come with a toothbrush or deodorant, or toothpaste, pads for females, feminine wipes, things like that."
More than half of the cost of the supplies comes out of Lowery's own pocket. The rest is donated, mostly by charities or individual contributions, Lowery said. She packs the bags herself, sometimes with the occasional help of students or faculty, but mostly, she labors alone. The process takes a few hours, but Lowery doesn't mind. She said it's a miracle she's able to pack any bags at all.
A year ago, Lowery on her drive home from work, passed through an intersection on Randleman road. A car running the red light did not hit the brakes. The vehicle slammed into Lowery's driver's side door, totaling her car and sending her to the hospital.
She escaped with her life, but injuries to her back, neck, hip and foot put her out of work for a year. As she recovered, Lowery said post-traumatic stress syndrome and depression set in. Lowery's mother became her primary caretaker.
At her lowest, members of her community rallied to help her mother take care of her. Whether buying groceries or preparing meals, every little bit, she said, helped. The kindness Lowery received throughout the year of physical, emotional and financial strain is still enough to bring her to tears.
"It was traumatizing. My car went from a little Honda Accord to a mushbox," she said.
Although still dealing with her physical ailments, as she recovered, Lowery became grateful. With her second chance, she wanted to pay forward the generosity experienced.
"I was down and out for a whole entire year," she said.
"I had to depend on somebody else to make sure that I had a simple toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, and conditioner. I know what it's like to depend on somebody else or not have little things at a certain time. That's the motivation behind this project."
Having already started the Big Brother-Big Sister program at North Asheboro Middle school while she was in high school, she saw it as the perfect opportunity. She began a non-profit, Leach's Helping Hands, and started packaging the hygiene bags for distribution.
"I saw I could give back more to the kids who I had already been helping, but in a broader way," she said.
That small impact has already begun to have a profound effect at the schools Lowery works with.
"[The hygiene bags] are expensive, and many of the families we're donating too can't always afford those items," Cheek said, "we're very thankful that she's taken this on."
To donate to the 'Give Back' project, visit Kyosha's Facebook page.
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