We Cancerve, 95.1 SHINE FM Team to Help Homeless Kids

The We Cancerve Movement, Inc., a Maryland-run nonprofit organization, and 95.1 SHINE-FM, a radio station broadcasting contemporary Christian music to the greater Baltimore-Washington area, jointly announce the “We Care for Kids” toiletries drive to help area homeless youth.

Collection sites have been established at area Safeway grocery stores from January 22 through February 4. Participating store locations are Columbia - 5485 Harpers Farm Rd, Columbia, MD 21044; Severna Park - 540 Benfield Rd, Severna Park, MD 21146; Bel Air - 225 Brierhill Dr, Bel Air, MD 21015; Towson - 1017 York Rd, Towson, MD 21204 and Perry Hall - 9645 Belair Rd, Nottingham, MD 21236. In addition, Restoration World Ministries in Joppa and St. James A.M.E. Church-Green Street in Havre de Grace have signed on as collection sites.

“This toiletries drive is important because we are teaming with 95.1 SHINE-FM to provide homeless children with personal hygiene products. Children in schools are being picked out and picked on because of their lack of personal hygiene,” said Grace E. G. Callwood, age 13, founder of the We Cancerve Movement, Inc. “Some of the children that we work with, especially those who live on the streets, don’t have access to a sink or bathroom or running water. So, we’re donating these toiletries to organizations that can provide that for them.”

Nearly 29,700 people experienced homelessness in the state at some point in 2016, up 6 percent from the previous year, according to a 2016 annual report on homelessness by Maryland’s Interagency Council on Homelessness. About 12 percent were in Baltimore County.

Collected toiletries will be donated to organizations that specifically service homeless children among the populations they serve. That includes homeless shelters including Eastside Family Emergency Shelter in Rosedale, transitional housing programs for the homeless families including Harford Family House in Aberdeen, Anna’s House in Bel Air and INNTerim Housing in Pikesville and other homeless service organizations including the Youth Empowerment Society Drop-in Center for homeless teens and a number of counselors at area elementary, middle and high schools.

They are collecting only new, unopened full and travel-size shampoo, conditioner, soap, shower gel, wash cloths, deodorant, lotion, mouthwash, toothpaste, individually-wrapped toothbrushes, plastic hair combs, dental floss, hand sanitizer plus disposable razors.

“95.1 SHINE-FM is so excited to be partnering with We Cancerve in order to provide for homeless children in need. As a station, we are committed to loving and serving our community so that they might know the love of God. We are so thrilled about all that Grace is doing through her organization to bring hope and happiness, and we wanted to be a part of it,” said Kate Meyers, community engagement coordinator at 95.1 SHINE-FM.

We Cancerve was established in 2012 to bring swift solutions to sick, homeless and foster children because happiness shouldn’t have to wait. Run by an all-youth board of advisors, who are under ages 18, We Cancerve operates a full-service clothing boutique at a Bel Air group home for teen girls in foster care and offers a four-week summer enrichment day camp for children at two Harford County transitional housing programs for homeless families. We Cancerve also created a pediatric patient assistance fund at Sinai to help offset costs associated with medical care for sick children, particularly at the pediatric hematology and oncology clinic. To date, We Cancerve has helped more than 4,000 homeless, sick and foster children, and has donated more than $10,000 in cash grants and $30,000 in in-kind donations.

For more information about We Cancerve, email peoplewhocare@wecancerve.org.