Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elizabeth Watkins. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Elizabeth, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.

I had always dreamed of starting a nonprofit after spending many years volunteering locally. Inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” I set out on a path to start Refresh Frisco. It is my belief that every child deserves to feel clean and confident and have access to personal hygiene items. I knew that by providing children with basic hygiene items, we could lift the burden off families and provide children with the dignity they deserve. My goal was to come alongside other organizations in the area currently serving children and fill the gap in the hygiene product space. Refresh Frisco and Refresh Little Elm are the only nonprofits in our community offering free customized hygiene packs to underserved children.

Demand for our services has skyrocketed since our very 1st hygiene pack distribution in November 2019. In 2021 we expanded to include the Little Elm community. Families coming to our organization are looking for relief, they are looking for help, they are looking for hope. Our goal is to give them all these things and more, free of charge. We are blessed to have a wonderful partnership with Frisco and Little Elm ISDs. We work directly with school counselors, nurses and staff to connect with students in need of our services. Our enrollment link is always open and readily available on our website. We are constantly thinking of ways to ensure no child slips through the cracks. We seek out families that may not have access to a computer or cannot read. Our goal is to bring our resources directly to them. When our enrollment numbers increase, we give thanks that a family in need has found us and that we get to play a small part in easing their burden.

Elizabeth, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Refresh Frisco is a local nonprofit founded in 2019. In 2021 we expanded to include the Little Elm community under the name Refresh Little Elm. Our mission is to ensure that every child in our community has access to personal hygiene items. We do this by providing children with customized Refresh Packs filled with full-size products every 3 months. We are currently serving over 1400 students each quarter with new students enrolling daily.

Our organization connects with students in need through the Frisco & Little Elm ISD school staff and administration.
Our Refresh Packs are tailored to the child’s age, gender preference and ethnicity. A basic pack includes toothpaste, a toothbrush, floss, shampoo, conditioner, body wash/bar soap, lip balm, comb/brush, and lotion. Packs for those in middle and high school also include shaving cream, deodorant, and feminine products. Seasonally we include sunscreen and hand sanitizer. Each pack also includes a handwritten note of encouragement. Our care packages are discreetly distributed every 3 months, and the student’s identity is protected and confidential.

We know that good hygiene promotes better health and prevents illness, infections, and rashes from spreading. Good personal hygiene also increases self-confidence and helps children to feel positive about themselves and their appearance. Lack of self-esteem, especially during the teenage years, can negatively impact a student’s performance in school as well as their ability to form meaningful relationships and friendships.

Our long-term vision for our nonprofit is to expand our mission into neighboring communities.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Helping all children feel clean and confident is at the heart of Refresh Frisco’s mission. In February 2020, Refresh Frisco had just completed our 2nd ever quarterly distribution, serving 256 students. Weeks later, COVID-19 hit and turned the world upside down. Overnight the world was discussing proper hygiene and hand-washing techniques in order to combat the virus. Demand for our services exploded; however, supply completely dried up as the lockdown ensued. Every business, church group, and school sports team that had committed to hosting a hygiene product drive for Refresh was forced to cancel as the lockdown dragged on and in-person gatherings ceased. The bulk distributers used by Refresh Frisco halted their online ordering and we were unable to secure the hygiene products needed to fill our packs. Items such as soap and shampoo were absent from local store shelves. Meanwhile, demand continued to grow. As was the case with many businesses during the pandemic, Refresh Frisco had to quickly adapt and innovate. We created an Amazon Wish List where donors could shop for the needed hygiene items online from the safety and convenience of their homes. We promoted ‘no-contact’ porch donation drop off locations and enlisted volunteers to assist with the additional demand. Prior to the pandemic, Refresh Packs were delivered directly to the schools, but once COVID-19 hit, we began delivering hygiene packs to students via contactless drive-thru pickups with masked and socially distanced volunteers placing items in car trunks.

Refresh’s rapid growth continues today as many economic challenges still persist. The supply chain issues that impacted 2021 and continue into 2022 have severely limited our nonprofit’s ability to purchase items in large quantities. In addition, rising costs have made it more expensive to fill our packs with needed items. In response we created an Inventory Management position on our board. It is the sole responsibility of this individual to find the best deals on needed hygiene items and ensure these products arrive in time for our quarterly distributions. We remain focused on our mission, knowing that over 1400 children are counting on us to get them the hygiene products they so desperately need.

Any advice for managing a team?

Managing a team and maintaining morale looks different in the nonprofit industry. Our organization is made up completely of volunteers. Our team is special because each board member chooses to be a part of our mission not because it personally benefits them, but because their hard work is making the world a better place for a child. Our team has sustained tremendous growth in a rapidly changing environment and come out the other side, both stronger and wiser. When facing challenges, as we often have over the three years since our inception, we work hard to stay focused on our mission. We are so proud of the fact that we have been able to accommodate every single child that has enrolled in our program. We are coworkers but more importantly we are friends. We are united in our shared goal to make a difference in our community. As President, I am in constant contact with my team members, actively sharing ideas and seeking feedback. We are in a season of growth and change, and this necessitates that we stay connected in order to quickly adapt. I feel that one of my most important jobs as a leader is to seek out the advice and wisdom of my team. Our team is strongest when everyone has a chance to contribute and be heard.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.RefreshFrisco.org and www.RefreshLittleElm.org
• Instagram: @RefreshFrisco
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refreshfrisco