Today we’d like to introduce you to Portia Hargrove.
Hi Portia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Soymilk & Hope was birthed long before the non-profit organization was launched. As a young girl, I grew up in a community where everyone helped one another without the expectation of repayment. A village of mothers, fathers, and grandparents that nurtured and trained up the neighborhood children; that shared resources and encouraged us to do the same with their actions more than their words. Our home was a safe haven, not only to my siblings & I, but to family & friends that needed a place to lay their head. My mother opened her heart and her home to those in need, even when she experienced tough times. I lost my mother when I was 23 years old, but I wanted my children to know her legacy.
I launched Soymilk & Hope in 2017 after years of procrastination. I had sent care packages to my youngest daughter and a few of her friends while they attended Winston Salem State University. It started out as a mother with two children in college (my son attended Hampden-Sydney College) that used coupons to purchase essential items and diapers for her granddaughter (my oldest daughter). But what I discovered was that there were more students that did not have a support system in place; a village that could help in their time of need. So as an empty nester, I decided to start a nonprofit organization that would ensure that not only college students, but young mothers would have a village of support that provided free hygiene products, one care package at a time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Of course there have been challenges along the way. Although I have a passion for the mission, my background experience is not in the nonprofit sector. Funding has been the biggest challenge, yet we have been able to continue serving the community for the past 8 years. We have a wonderful group of donors that support our mission, and we are grateful for their continued support. We would love to have a facility where we could have clients to come shop for essentials; however, we understand that would be an additional expense. Currently, we have clients meet in a designated location to pick up their packages. But I have confidence that someone will discover our organization and provide the facility and funding that’s needed so that we can continue to serve our community.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
At the core of our work is a simple but powerful belief, that access to essential hygiene products is a basic human right, not a privilege. The mission of Soymilk & Hope is to ensure that college students & families, regardless of circumstances, have access to essential hygiene products. By providing these items we strive to reduce financial and emotion stress, restore dignity, boost self-confidence, and promote health habits in homes, dorms, classrooms, and throughout the community. We are committed to building a healthy, more confident community, one care package at a time!
Our Home & Body Essentials service allow college students and families in Wake, Durham, and Johnston Counties to request a personalized hygiene care package by completing the request form on our website. Although there are other organizations that provide hygiene products to the community, we are one of a few organizations where individuals can directly request assistance. We offer essentials which include (but not limited to) soap, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, and diapers. Our Campus Essentials service collaborates with student organizations to distribute hygiene products to students. on college campuses in the Triangle/Triad area during health & wellness events. During these events, the students are able to build their own care package or grab a pre-packaged care bag, based on the type of event. Our Classroom Essentials service connects us with school social workers & teachers to provide hygiene items for the school’s pantry or for unhoused students and their families. And our Community Essentials service provides an opportunity for those individuals that may not qualify for our other services to receive hygiene essentials during community events.
With the rising cost of living, tuition, and the recent issue with SNAP benefits, we anticipate an increase in demand for services. We depend upon the generosity of our village (that’s you!) and understand that we cannot do this work without your support. We encourage you to donate, volunteer, share our mission, and sponsor events so that we can continue this great work, especially the under-served community of college students.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
One of the most important things that I have learned along this journey is that I am not alone and that I cannot do this work alone. There were times where I felt I wasn’t supported in the way that I needed, but God would always remind me that He was with me. And He would send people to support and encourage me at times when I wanted to give up. Many times, it was my family or the students and families helped by the organization who gave me the encouragement I needed to keep going. I also had to learn how to delegate. Soymilk & Hope was my vision, my baby, and it’s never easy to hand your baby over to someone else’s care. I’m thankful for a team of volunteers who care for Soymilk & Hope just as much as they care for the people we serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://soymilkandhope.wixsite.com/website
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soymilkandhope
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soymilkandhope
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@soymilkandhope
