My name is Ariana Unda, and I am a JAB Alumni. In 2019-2020, I was the past Vice-Chair of the Junior Advisory Board for Joshua’s Heart Foundation. The first time I volunteered with JHF, we made Hope-Boxes and handed them out to the homeless. They were so incredibly grateful for what they were receiving, it completely broke my heart. They all had on dirty, ripped clothes and were sleeping on cardboard. They depended on strangers or money they found on the ground for food. It was uncomfortable to witness their distress, but I knew I wanted to help in any way I could.
I started to think of ways I could help. I came up with the idea of starting my project called YOUTH4WOMEN, which provides homeless women with hygiene products. Hygiene products such as pads and tampons are necessities for all women. Unfortunately, these products are expensive, and homeless women cannot afford them. I started by collecting donated hygiene products and fundraising money to make this project a reality.
Once these items were collected, I would put a bag together with several products for these women. Along with the pads and tampons, each bag included a handwritten note to provide strength for these women. Over the course of a year, I was able to distribute over 250 bags of hygiene products. I am so grateful that I was able to make an impact on these women that I helped. Giving them these simple items, some take for granted, filled my heart with joy and happiness. I plan to continue carrying out this project in the future, to hopefully expand it one day worldwide. Together we can make the world a better place, one step at the time.
