Broncos to Host Toiletry Product Drive to Support Health and Wellbeing of Students
1/11/2024 2:01:00 PM | General
Fans invited to bring personal hygiene products to basketball games on January 16 and 24
BOISE, Idaho – Boise State Athletics, BroncoBOLD and the Boise School District will host a personal hygiene product drive during two upcoming Bronco basketball games at ExtraMile Arena. The drive will be held in conjunction with the annual Mental Health Awareness games put on by BroncoBOLD, a student-athlete-led mental health initiative.
Fans are invited to bring new and unopened personal hygiene products, preferably travel size, on Jan. 16 in advance of the Boise State men's basketball game versus UNLV and on Jan. 24 prior to the Boise State women's basketball game versus UNLV.
All toiletry products collected will be utilized to create mental health first aid kits to support health and self-esteem, and made available to students in need to ensure anyone in crisis has their most basic needs met. A list of preferred items is below.
| Brush or comb | Lotion | Soap/body wash |
| Cotton swabs | Mouthwash | Tampons |
| Deodorant | Sanitizer | Toothbrushes |
| Feminine wash/wipes | Sanitary napkins | Toothpaste |
| Floss | Shampoo | Wash Cloths |
"We are committed to utilizing Bronco Athletics as a platform to build community connections, raise awareness and highlight local resources to support health and wellbeing," said Stephanie Donaldson, Director of Athletic Counseling & Performance Psychology at Boise State.
During the games, student-athletes, coaches and game day staff will wear attire featuring "BroncoBOLD Mental Health Matters" along with a green ribbon patch, and members of the Spirit Squad will wear green ribbons as a symbol of support. Other winter and spring sport programs will designate one competition to promote the initiative during their season.
Boise State student-athletes and Boise School District students will come together to assemble and distribute the kits throughout the community. All kits will include a note of affirmation handwritten by local students, as well as resource cards to connect recipients with mental health services.
The toiletry product drive is just one element of the department's goal to build socially connected communities that foster a culture of care around mental health.
In August, BroncoBOLD launched an ambassador program with four local high schools to support motivated students to become active leaders and advocates of mental health on their campus and in their community. Boise State works alongside the interscholastic activities department at each school to provide guidance and resources in order for the students to launch a mental health initiative on their campus and ensure they are equipped with best practices, and the skills needed to grow a successful program. Participating high schools include Borah, Capital, Marsing, and Timberline. The program is funded through a grant from the locally-based Holland M. Ware Foundation.
Applications for the 2024-25 BroncoBOLD High School Ambassador Class will be made available in March, and will be open to all Idaho high schools. Four new high schools will be selected as BroncoBOLD Ambassadors for the 2024-25 school year.
Visit BroncoBOLD for more information or scan the QR code below to view the BroncoBOLD community mental health information and resource guide.
About BroncoBOLD
Launched in 2019, BroncoBOLD is a mental health initiative created by a committee of Boise State student-athletes, representing multiple sport programs. All committee members were passionate about mental health advocacy work and dedicated to championing a message of hope, help, and resiliency with fellow student-athletes and their community utilizing the platform of sport. BroncoBOLD continues to focus on education and proactive prevention utilizing multiple platforms, including: social media, workshops, sponsored events, and recognition at specific athletic competitions.
For parents and students within the Boise School District visit Mental Health - Boise School District (boiseschools.org) or scan the QR code for more information.
If you or anyone you know is in a life-threatening crisis, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, please dial 9-8-8 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or call the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline at 208-398-4357.
