‘We need these items’: Non-profit groups ask public for sunscreen and hat donations

Many Maritime community groups are asking for sunscreen and hat donations amid the hot weather.

Staying cool and safe in the heat can be a challenge for some, with necessities like sunscreen, hats and reusable water bottles out of reach.

Some non-profit groups in Halifax are stepping up and asking the public to donate summer necessities to help those in need.

The BGC Greater Halifax Clubs serves around 400 children a week across their four locations in the summer, and a lot of their activities are run outside.

“Swimming, canoeing, all the nine yards. We love being outside, anything we can do outside we love to do that type of programming,” says Tyrell Johnson, BGC Greater Halifax Clubs Program Coordinator.

Some kids forget their sunscreen or hats at home, while others just don’t have these items. Regardless of the situation, with the amount of time spent outdoors, the non-profit ensures all the kids at their camps have these essentials.

“Sun safety is a big part of what we do in order to make sure every child has sunscreen, has water bottles, and hats. Sometimes we do need extra to make sure they stay sun safe throughout the week and the entire summer,” adds Johnson.

Their summer camp began this week and they have already gone through a number of hats, water bottles and sunscreen bottles, giving them out whenever needed. With seven more weeks of camp, the team says they expect to give out hundreds.

“We need these items every summer, as you can imagine, we go through these items a lot with new faces each day, each week, things are changing a lot,” says Johnson.

For those able to donate, the team asks that people drop the items off at their location. If the contribution is financial, it can be done on their website.

Out of the Cold Community Association, which these days is worried about the heat, is also asking for public donations.

The group provides supportive housing to 63 adults and is calling on Maritimers to help to protect their clients from the heat.

The executive director of Out of the Cold Community Association, Michelle Malette, stresses the importance of sunscreen as many of their clients spend much of their day outdoors.

“Sunscreen is really important and is something that is pretty unaffordable for us, and I think for a lot of folks. We have been struggling to get that for our folks,” says Malette.

Malette’s team gives out hygiene bags to their clients, but sunscreen is one item they’ve been short on this summer.

“We haven’t been able to give out a lot of sunscreen this year, we have some that expired from last year. We have been asking the community for some,” says Malette.

They are also asking for water bottles, the wide mouth ones are preferred and ones that are reusable and washable.

“When our folks are out and about they have less access to a lot of things that other folks in the community do so it is really important and substance users and folks that use alcohol, they are more susceptible to the heat for sure,” says Malette.

Reusable water bottles are a huge help because clients can refill them at the Out of the Cold housing spaces.

“A lot of our folks don’t always see the value in themselves so they don’t always see the value in those things that are needed for self care,” adds Malette.

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