Support Us
The Needs List
This is what we are actually short on. Federal and state assistance will not pay for most of it, and most food banks receive no funding for it either — which is exactly why we collect it.
Everything here goes out free of charge to north Idaho families.
How to Use This List
Shop the List, Drop It Off
Buy anything on this page, then leave it at one of our four collection locations or mail it to our PO Box. It goes onto the distribution tables, into the school hygiene carts, or straight to a family.
Please make sure items are unopened and within date. If you are not sure whether we can use something, bring it anyway — we will find a home for it.
Drop-off locations: Athol Community Center · Resource Center · Athol P1FCU · Farragut State Park Visitors Center. See details →
Start Here
What We Run Out of First
If you only pick up a few things, make it these. They go the fastest at every single distribution event.
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Laundry soap
- Dish soap
- Shampoo & conditioner
- Body wash & bar soap
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste & toothbrushes
- Diapers & wipes
- Feminine hygiene
The Full List
Everything We Collect
Personal Care & Hygiene
Shampoo · Conditioner · Body wash · Bar soap · Hand soap · Deodorant · Razors · Shaving cream · Lotion · Hairbrushes & combs · Nail clippers · Tissues
Oral Care
Toothbrushes (adult and child) · Toothpaste · Floss · Mouthwash · Denture cleaner & adhesive
Feminine Hygiene
Pads · Tampons · Pantyliners · Feminine wipes · New underwear in a range of sizes, especially youth and teen sizes
Travel & Hotel Size
Travel-size shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, toothpaste, and toothbrushes — the small bottles from hotel stays are perfect. These stock the 3-tier carts we place in north Idaho middle and high school restrooms.
Paper Goods & Household
Toilet paper · Paper towels · Napkins · Facial tissue · Trash bags · Aluminum foil · Plastic wrap · Storage bags · Paper plates & cups
Laundry & Cleaning
Laundry detergent · Fabric softener · Dryer sheets · Stain remover · Dish soap · Dishwasher tablets · All-purpose cleaner · Bathroom cleaner · Disinfecting wipes · Sponges & scrubbers · Brooms & mops
Baby & Toddler
Diapers (all sizes, newborn through 6) · Pull-ups · Baby wipes · Diaper cream · Baby wash & shampoo · Baby lotion · Formula · Bottles · Pacifiers
Over-the-Counter Medicine
Pain relief (adult and children) · Cold & flu remedies · Cough drops · Allergy tablets · Antacids · Vitamins · First aid supplies · Adhesive bandages · Antiseptic cream · Thermometers
Pet Care
Dog food · Cat food · Cat litter · Pet treats · Flea treatment · Leashes & collars · Food and water bowls
Shelf-Stable Food
Canned vegetables, fruit, meat, and soup · Pasta & sauce · Rice · Beans · Cereal & oats · Peanut butter · Canned tuna · Crackers · Shelf-stable milk · Coffee & tea
Seasonal items are welcome too — warm socks, gloves, hats, and blankets through the winter, and sunscreen and bug spray through the summer.
Getting It to Us
Four Ways to Get It to Us
Drop It Off
Four collection bins in and around Athol.
Mail It
Bestowing the Basics
Post Office Box 791
Athol, Idaho 83801
Run a Drive
A themed drive collects far better than a general one. We supply bins, flyers, and this list.
Give Financially
Cash lets us buy exactly what is short that month, in bulk, on sale.
We are a registered 501(c)(3); our EIN is 88-0553784 and donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. For a receipt, email beth@bestowingthebasics.org with a short description of what you donated.
What Happens Next
Where Your Donation Ends Up
We collect and sort
Volunteers empty the bins on a regular rotation and sort everything by category.
It goes to a program
Onto the tables at our Tuesday distribution, into a school hygiene cart, into the Careywood pantry, or straight into a weekly delivery to the ABC Food Bank.
A family takes it home
Free of charge, with no application and no income test. We average 148 people served at every distribution event.
Thank You
A single case of toilet paper or a bag of travel-size shampoo goes further than you would think.
Questions? Call us at (208) 561-5050