The Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES (E2CCB) Coordinated School Health team is taking important steps to ensure that students across the region have access to essential hygiene items. Led by Jason Mank, Comprehensive Health Coordinator, and Brady Deuink, Community Health Education Specialist, the team recently identified a growing need for personal hygiene supplies—such as shampoo, deodorant, and soap — among students not only at BOCES sites but also within E2CCB’s 27 component districts.
The effort garnered generous support from local partners. The Waterfront Foundation, based in Jamestown, donated $1,000 worth of hygiene supplies to help launch the project. Shortly after, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation (CRCF) awarded a $1,000 grant from the Edwin J. and Katherine M. Hegstedt Memorial Fund to further expand the program. The E2CCB Educational Foundation also contributed $500 to the initiative, demonstrating the organization’s internal commitment to meeting student needs.
“This is truly a community-driven effort, and we are incredibly grateful to the Waterfront Foundation, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, and the E2CCB Educational Foundation for recognizing the importance of this effort and helping us meet a very real need in our school communities,” said Jason Mank. “With their support, we’re able to provide support to students who may otherwise go without these basic necessities.”
The hygiene kits were made available to any student in need within the BOCES or its component districts and distributed through school-based staff, ensuring confidentiality and care in the process.
The Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES Educational Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting innovative programs and removing barriers to student success across the region. Through grants, scholarships, and strategic partnerships, the Foundation helps enhance educational opportunities for students served by Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES. To learn more or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit e2ccbfoundation.org.
