Yahweh’s Money®️: The Crossroads of Religion & Money

Blessed to Be a Blessing: How Small Acts of Generosity Spark Big Impact featuring Project Hygiene

• Crusaders for Change, LLC • Season 4 • Episode 86

Share episode

In this episode of Yahweh’s Money, we’re talking real faith, real impact, and real generosity. I sit down with my cousins Anshay Tull and Anshia Crooms, co-founders of Project Hygiene, a nonprofit combating bullying and restoring dignity through hygiene closets for kids in need.

From a single idea in 2011 to 14 years of nationwide outreach, their story proves you don’t need abundance to bless others—you need a willing heart. Hear how a bar of soap or a kind word can change a life, why 227 schools are on their waitlist, and how communities from D.C. to Mississippi to Jamaica are being touched by simple acts of giving.

You’ll discover:

  • The Power of Small Gifts – Real stories of students whose confidence and safety were restored with basic hygiene items.
  • Behind the Movement – How Project Hygiene grew from one benefit concert to 10 stocked hygiene closets and international outreach.
  • Ways to Give Without Money – Practical tips for donating time, encouragement, or resources to bless others—even on a tight budget.
  • Faith & Finances – How trusting God with what little we have builds resilience and community.

Featured Scripture:

2 Corinthians 9:7 — “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Action Step:

This week, identify one way to bless someone—write an encouraging note, volunteer an hour, or share a resource. Pray for God to multiply your effort and renew your joy in giving.

Follow & Support Project Hygiene:

Website: https://www.projecthygiene.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projecthygiene/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProjectHygiene

X: https://x.com/projecthygiene

Send us a text

💸⛪🕍📿💵

Our podcast is proudly sponsored by Crusaders for Change, LLC (C4C) and hosted by our CEO and Founder, Mrs. Shay Cook. At C4C, we provide customized corporate financial wellness programs for businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Our services are tailored to create happier, healthier, and more productive work environments. We also empower individuals and couples to overcome debt, improve their credit, boost savings, and more. Ready to learn more about how C4C can impact your life? Contact us today at https://www.crusaders4change.org/!

Schedule a Free 15-minute Clarity Call Today!

Comments, questions, or suggestions on topics? Email yahweh@crusaders4change.org

And, follow us on:
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

Music by: Lamonte Silver - Owner of essentialmusicclub.com | Previously by ROA - roa-music.com

Anshia Crooms [00:00:02]:
I would say we're a small nonprofit. Right. And so you definitely understand what it is when you're putting your own money out and then people are pouring back into you. And I think when, like we'll go to the office and then we'll get boxes like, oh, we weren't even expecting. Yeah, for this to come out and for us to get blessed so that we can bless someone else. But every time that somebody pours back into our small little mighty non profit within these 14 years, I mean, that's just a blessing. It is a blessing and it's unexpected half the time because sometimes we just don't know. 

Anshay Tull [00:00:36]:

And then us being able to serve many different cities throughout the year, small little packages that we may send or the big packages, you know, that's just been great.
 
Shay Cook [00:00:44]:
Ever felt those awkward vibes when religion and money come up? You're not alone. Welcome to Yahweh's Money, the podcast where we tackle the crossroads of faith and finance. I'm Shay Cook, an accredited financial counselor and the CEO and founder of Crusaders for Change, LLC. Join us on our journey as we discuss topics like tithing, saving and conquering debt through religious perspectives. Let's get started. 

Hey everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Yahweh's Money. Today we're going to be talking about how it's blessed to be a blessing, creating impact through giving.
 
Shay Cook [00:01:20]:
So as we may or may not know, generosity isn't always about having plenty. Sometimes it's about giving from what little we have, trusting God to multiply our efforts. In today's world where uncertainty. Oh my God. You guys listening to September of 2025 and just the year of 2025. There's a lot of uncertainty, but need to seem to grow. We want to be generous and that can be overwhelming. But the Bible teaches us that even small acts of kindness and giving can have huge, huge impacts.
 
Shay Cook [00:01:55]:
Today we'll explore living generously and how it's an art, a faith filled way of blessing others even when times are challenging. So our main scripture for today is 2 Corinthians 9:7, which states, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver". This verse reminds us that generosity is not about obligation or abundance, but about the heart and joy behind our giving. So today, our guests on the show are none other than my first cousins, Anshia and Anshay. They are two amazing women. I'm not going to even try to introduce them other than saying they're fabulous women of God and mothers and just amazing. And I just want them to each introduce themselves.
 
Shay Cook [00:02:48]:
But I'm so happy and proud to have them here today representing their beauty and godliness. But also Project Hygiene, which we're going to talk about in a minute. So. Hey, Shia Shay. Hey. Tell the audience more about who you are. And I love that coordinated, "Hey".
 
Anshay Tull [00:03:12]:
Hello everyone.
 
Anshay Tull [00:03:13]:
I'm Anshay Tall. I am one of the co-founders of Project Hygiene.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:03:18]:
Hi everybody. My name is Anshia Crooms, formerly Tull, and I'm a co-founder of Project Hygiene. I am also the actor executive director for the nonprofit.
 
Shay Cook [00:03:29]:
Awesome. And tell us more about who you are as women, as mothers, wives, whatever. Tell us more.
 
Anshay Tull [00:03:34]:
Hey. I am superwoman. Super mom.
 
Anshay Tull [00:03:38]:
I am a single mom to a 14 year old son named Brice, just entered into 9th grade. I also am the senior director for student affairs and college access for charter school in Washington D.C. where I do all things college access. That is one of my greatest purpose of my life and that is what I do every single day. Well, as being a mother to my beautiful son.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:04:02]:
So Project Hygiene is our nonprofit. As my sister mentioned, she has a regular job. I also run a for profit company called Briclyn Entertainment. Project Hygiene has been around almost 14 years when we started this and so my company Briclyn has been around for 18 years. So I'm technically a music booking agent/philanthropist. I'm a wife, I'm a mom, and I am your cousin. To be here to talk about what we do with Project Hygiene, but how we got started and why family also was another testament to why we started to give back at an early age.
 
Shay Cook [00:04:39]:
I love that. Well, thank you for the introduction and again, thank you for joining us today. You guys don't understand. I feel like today was like Christmas I'm tell you waking up. Not only to get an interview, you guys and be on this amazing podcast, Yahweh's Money. I had a new contractor start today. Used to be my podcast producer, but now she's going to be our client success manager. So God is in the blessing business and I'm just so grateful for what he's doing.
 
Shay Cook [00:05:03]:
So let's get into our rapid fire questions.
 
Rapid Fire Questions Musical Interlude:
Take your seat, let the wisdom inherit. Let's hit the rapid fire question. Say what's on your spirit! Take your seat, let the wisdom inherit. Hit the rapid fire questions.  Say what's on your spirit?
 
Shay Cook [00:05:26]:
All right, what inspired you to start this nonprofit and focus on hygiene products for children?
 
Anshay Tull [00:05:39]:
Okay, so let's go all the way back to 2011. So during that time where the idea came from, I actually was a social service case manager in Atlanta, Georgia. And so at this particular time there, we noticed there was an increase of student suicide going across the nation for children that were pretty much between the ages of 5 to 18 years of age. And so I was working on, actually on a particular case with a family that had neglect charges up against them. I went and evaluated the home, saw that the family didn't have any hygiene products and didn't have any food. The home was really dilapidated. So the next time I had to go out the next day to see the student. And I just happened to overhear a conversation with the school counselor at the time telling another different student that you're on your third strike, you're out.
 
Anshay Tull [00:06:26]:
So I was kind of curious, like, what does that mean, you're on your third strike, that you're out? And she said with the increase of student suicidal rates and many students coming up with suicidal ideations, she said, now it's very serious that we have to charge and we have to either 1. You get in school suspension, out of school suspension, and if you're on your third strike, that was expulsion. That means you have just really been bullying students. And so I took the case that I actually was working on, and this was around late November, early December, and she and I were both coming home. One thing that our mom and dad have always done, our stocking stuffers have always been hygiene products. And I was sharing this particular case with my sister, and I was like, my sister was working for a nonprofit at the time and really understood what that world was. And I said, I really just want to be able to give back to students to kind of help denounce bullying. And this is where the toiletry hygiene came about.
 
Anshay Tull [00:07:19]:
A part of that case that I actually was working. And then we formed Project Hygiene in December of 2011.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:07:24]:
Yeah, so like my sister mentioned, so really it started as an idea of hers. So back in 2011, there was a documentary called The Bully Project by Lee Hirsch. And we watched it at that time, like, bullying was like number one in the news. And kids, like she said, ages 7 through 18, were committing suicide. Then you start to question, like, how does a 7 year old know how to, like, go and do that.
 
Anshay Tull [00:07:48]:
Exactly
 
Anshia Crooms [00:07:50]:
Why are they thinking about that? Even though necessarily, like, there's a lot of different forms of bullying, such as physical, verbal, mental, cyber. We just said, you know, how can we put these two things together? So we started to map out a plan. Like, what are some reasons why kids get bullied? Well, simply, kids get bullied because of poor hygiene. So it wasn't necessarily because, yeah, it was about suicide, but it was like, how do we also gravitate to students to make them feel good on the inside and on the outside? And so we were sitting in my mom's kitchen, we came home for Christmas, and she had. She was so passionate about it. And so me being in entertainment, I said, why don't we just throw a concert? So we decided to throw this concert to basically combat bullying, but to also collect toiletry products. And that's honestly really how we started by literally wasn't supposed to be an initiative, wasn't supposed to be a nonprofit. It was just going to be this one night of giving, for us to be able to give back because of some of the things that she was seeing with some of the kids that she worked with, but also now we knew how prevalent bullying was, and then it just took a life of its own.
 
Shay Cook [00:08:57]:
Wow.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:08:58]:
We're still here almost 14 years later doing this work. So many children and so many families similar to the ones she worked with that need the help and assistance.
 
Shay Cook [00:09:08]:
Oh, wow. Congratulations. That's amazing. And thank you for what you're doing. I mean, thank you for your service to these kids. That, man, a lot of people don't even think about that. Right. The hygiene.
 
Shay Cook [00:09:19]:
And it is because, hey, I've been in school, and people like that person smell that person smell. And it's like, okay. I was always that person. Like, leave people alone. I can stand with people, you know? Man. Wow. Thank you. So what does generosity mean to you personally?
 
Anshia Crooms [00:09:35]:
You want to take it first or you want me to take it first? You know, generosity to me means doing something for somebody else and then doing something for somebody else. I know for Shay and I both, and she can answer, too. When I think of generosity, I think of giving before I give to myself, but naturally, when I'm giving to somebody else, I'm going to get something back in return. And it's also, when I think of generosity, it's not just about giving money. It's about giving time. It's about being present.
 
Shay Cook [00:10:03]:
Exactly.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:10:04]:
And so when I think of generosity, I think of just being someone's friend. I'm making them feel good. And so whether we give you toiletries or whether I give you my smile, even though that's my generosity to you, but the generosity that I received back in doing that makes me feel good and allows us to continue to give back. And so for me, generosity is making sure that somebody else has something in need and then in payback of that I received because I knew that I was able to provide and help for you.
 
Shay Cook [00:10:30]:
I love that. That's awesome.
 
Anshay Tull [00:10:31]:
Yeah, I would say pretty much the same thing. It's for me, with generosity, it's just waking up every single day. Like the Lord, he wakes us every day. He's generous to give us life every day. When it comes even down to Project Hygiene and how in my everyday career, it's just like I wake up, I have this gift that I want to share with somebody. I'm not necessarily looking for something in return. It is what's been lit on my heart just to say I've sown a seed into someone. And so when I think of generosity, it's just pretty much that acts of kindness where it's nice if people want to give something back to you, but it's not necessarily something that we're looking for because I'm looking to pour into you and then hopefully you'll pour back into someone else or maybe you'll pour back into me.
 
Anshay Tull [00:11:13]:
And so that's what generosity and that act of kindness is all about for me.
 
Shay Cook [00:11:17]:
I love that. And to my mind, the golden rule, treat others as you want to be treated. So if you treat them and be generous and nice and kind and love, you will get that back. And usually the God we serve, he gonna give it back to us ten hundred fold. Right. But that's not why we're doing it. But we have a purpose to go out here and serve. And I really see that within our family to have a heart to serve.
 
Shay Cook [00:11:38]:
A lot of us serve in this family, the Tulls or whatever side of family, we serve. Good. Yeah. All right. And the last rapid fire is what's one unexpected blessing you receive from giving to others?
 
Anshia Crooms [00:11:52]:
I feel like we have been blessed so many times.
 
Anshay Tull [00:11:54]:
Multiple times. Listen, I would say we're a small nonprofit, Right. And so you definitely understand what it is when you're putting your own money out and then people are pouring back into you. And I think when, like we'll go to the office and then we'll get boxes like, oh, we weren't even expecting for this to come out and for us to get blessed so that we can bless someone else. But every time that somebody pours back into our small little mighty non profit within these 14 years, I mean, that's just a blessing.
 
Shay Cook [00:12:24]:
It is a blessing.
 
Anshay Tull [00:12:25]:
And it's unexpected half the time because sometimes we just don't know. And then us being able to serve many different cities throughout the year, small little packages that we may send or the big packages, you know, that's just been great.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:12:38]:
And I'll say this too, something that we did not expect a couple weeks ago. So we have 10 hygiene closets inside 10 schools.
 
Shay Cook [00:12:46]:
Oh, wow.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:12:48]:
They get inventory five times out the school year, be restocked with these toiletries. And so because I do work in music, I book artists for a living. This particular artist was not. Is not even my client. This is recently, too. He called to get some consultation about how to book a show and how to directly. And so I said, you know what? Something in my spirit just kind of told me, like, just go ahead and bless him. Like, I wasn't looking for a commission.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:13:14]:
I wasn't looking for anything. He was. He's a really nice person. Very good heart. He has a beautiful, spirited wife. I was like, I just love them as a couple. And I know what he's trying to do. And his music is really good.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:13:26]:
So I was like, you know what? I will call my buyers for you, and I will just get you a show. Because this particular venue I do a lot of business with. So anytime I call them, they're gonna say, sure, we'll go ahead and give somebody that, you know, an opportunity. Fast forward a couple weeks after I booked the show, he comes back to me and says, you know what? You didn't even charge me for the show. And I said, you know what? I wasn't gonna charge you for the show. He was like, you know, everybody else is getting paid, but you didn't ask for anything, and I wanna pay you. I said, no, no, no, no. You don't have to compensate me.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:13:58]:
I said, I have one better for you. Only thing I want you to give me is for you to donate to my sister and my nonprofit Project Hygiene. I said, we have 10 hygiene closets. And I said, we always need help with Project Hygiene. All these boxes showed up at the office. The amount of money that I probably would have got for the commission is probably. He spent more than that. So we were to provide all 10 schools with the soap.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:14:24]:
Dove soap.
 
Anshay Tull [00:14:25]:
Dove soap, yeah.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:14:28]:
Toothbrushes. I mean, sanitary napkins. Like, everybody was able to get something with what he blessed us with. So that was something that we were not attempting, expecting.
 
Shay Cook [00:14:38]:
Yeah, looking forward to.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:14:40]:
We were able to bless him with the gift of doing his music somewhere that he probably wouldn't been able to book himself. Or over time, he probably could have. But we just simply said, give back the Project Hygiene. We're not always looking for money, but we know that we have to pay bills. We Always like to say, we're small, but we're mighty. But our main focal point is making sure that these kids have. And that their families also have an opportunity to. To come into these hygiene closets and get the stuff that they need, because the kids are going to come in there and, you know, they're really shopping for themselves.
 
Shay Cook [00:15:11]:
They really shopping for their parents and their parents. Yeah.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:15:15]:
So that is an unexpected gift that we're not beautiful because we were able to give him a gift of music for his show, and then he blessed us with all these toiletries so that. For back to school in August.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:15:25]:
This happened in August.
 
Shay Cook [00:15:26]:
Wow. Thank you for sharing that. That's amazing that 
 
Shay Cook [00:15:32]:
We have good people out there that are like, even, like, you. Starting with you. Like, nah, I'm here to, you know, take care of you. My spirit says, I don't need to pay me. And then he comes back and, like I said, a hundredfold. Look at God. I mean, come on. That's amazing.
 
Shay Cook [00:15:47]:
That's amazing. Thank you, Shia, for that. All right, so let's get in the main discussion. So the power of small acts of generosity, how simple gifts can meet real needs and build hope. You know, and I was just doing. Shay was saying, you know, small gifts and stuff, I'm like, man, it might be small or small packages, but to me, to you or to I. But to that person, that's huge. They might have just need that bar soup soap just to get through that day.
 
Shay Cook [00:16:14]:
And they might have a big whatever, whatever tryout or interview or something like that. And they have that. That's a big impact. So let's talk about that more, like, with the small acts of generosity and how simple gifts can meet needs and build hope in people. Share some stories around the hope that you guys have given these kids.
 
Anshay Tull [00:16:34]:
Well, I would say one of the most recent events that we had was, like, she had mentioned we had a back to school. Well, we participated in the back to school event. And so let's just go back to. It's the start of the school year across the country for all of our kids. Right. And so one mom actually walked up to our table and we were handing out hygiene bags, and we were. I think we had prepared, like 500 bags. And then I think she ended up having to run to the warehouse just to pick up some more bags.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:16:59]:
We were out.
 
Shay Cook [00:17:00]:
Wow. 500 was out. Wow.
 
Anshay Tull [00:17:03]:
However, in the midst of this conversation, like I said, I'm educator. I'm around bullying every single day from 9th through 12th graders. And so this mom, she was reading our pamphlet because at the time when she came to the table, that's all we had left on the table. Like, this is so great. This is so great. So then that opened up a door in a conversation and her daughter actually was standing right beside her and she said, you know, we're in transition from Northern Virginia back into Prince George's County. And she said, one of the issues that I'm having is like last year I went to the school trying to advocate for my daughter because she was bullying. Because like you said, those small, like those small packages turn into big packages.
 
Anshay Tull [00:17:43]:
You have a mom that maybe is not working seven or some kids in the household she has to take care of. Do I feed and provide for these kids or do I buy the bar soap? Everything is high in the store. So in the midst of that conversation we were able to talking about and I just said, you know what, when my sister gets back, I'm going to make sure, here's my personal contact information. If you ever need for us to mail something to you, we will personally make sure that she gets what she needs to help combat any of the bullying that she may have. Because a lot of it mom mentioned was because it's just simple. She didn't have the money to buy the soap and a particular deodorant to help her daughter. And so the daughter just having that conversation with her. So that kind of opened up some door of hope.
 
Anshay Tull [00:18:26]:
And so doing this work, when we hear those type of stories and like she said, we have "Look In The Mirror" and pouring back into and looking in yourself to give them those tools to support themselves and advocate and to have a voice for themselves. That's hope. Because if we can save one life by pouring back in Project Hygiene, then we've done our job and we're going to continue to do our job.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:18:45]:
And that's the thing of it. It's like, yes, you know that we give toiletries, but like my sister says at the also in the beginning when we started, we were going into universities, going into schools and doing bullying prevention, health and hygiene workshops. We have a 60 minute workshop that comprises of 30 minutes talking about simply health and the body, when to wear deodorant, how to change your sanitary napkin. So now you're getting an education, why these things are important. We have a hygiene charades game what halitosis means. You know, we try to, yeah, they see their teachers almost like their parents every single day, have fun with them. But we got that 30 minutes to 45 minute part where we're just talking about how to manage your hygiene and how does bullying affect poor hygiene? Got this other 30, 45 minutes and we're talking about bullying prevention, about mental health, cyberbullying, where you're getting bullied at. So we are painting a picture in real time to teach you how to once again take care of yourself on the outside, but to make you also feel good on the inside.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:19:49]:
But also too, in doing that, we're bringing hope to young people to teach them. We're taught how to give back at a very young age. And so kids, or you sow into children, like my sister said, we have the "Look In The Mirror" poem that we make young. Say I'm beautiful.
 
Shay Cook [00:20:05]:
I'm that self worth. Building that confidence. Okay?
 
Anshia Crooms [00:20:09]:
I am somebody. So when you're done with us at Project Hygiene, you gonna feel good and then you gonna go get yourself some lotion and a bar of soap and you getting these free toiletries for every single workshop that we have. And that is a goal of ours, to be nationwide.
 
Shay Cook [00:20:24]:
Amen.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:20:25]:
Bringing hope, bringing kindness, and also making sure they stay fresh and clean with Project Hygiene.
 
Shay Cook [00:20:30]:
Hey, hey, hey, hey. Fresh and clean with Project Hygiene. Okay, I see you matter of fact.
 
Anshay Tull [00:20:40]:
Running that one back to September 2013, when we were here at the Howard Theater.
 
Shay Cook [00:20:45]:
Oh, wow. Fresh and clean. I love that. Keep it clean. Yeah. Really? Maybe we could bring out OutKast out of retirement. Exactly. That is so cool.
 
Shay Cook [00:21:02]:
And, you know, generosity is really an act of faith. Right? Especially in these uncertain and chaotic times, because we might be provided for in tomorrow. Like when we're. We're saying we're in. This is an extension of us. It's a beautiful thing that you guys are doing the overcoming challenges and giving. You know, people are really struggling with that. They're like, how much do I give? I mean, so how do you guys, you know, work through that? Because everything's going up.
 
Shay Cook [00:21:27]:
Inflation, you know, it's just crazy right now. People are going to do. I see more Dollar Generals popping up again when a couple years ago they were closing, you know, because people can't afford to go to a regular grocery store. So, yeah, I mean, to answer that.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:21:40]:
Question, a lot of the schools that we work with are Title 1 schools. So we, like, really are studying the demo of the schools, neighborhood schools, a lot of heavy Latin population, immigrants, African American communities. So, you know, I will say this. In the beginning, we were just looking for any school because we wanted to be tapped in, to be honest with you. We have like 227 schools on the wait list. On the wait list because everybody is needing. And so we know that we can't serve everybody. So what we've been doing is really hitting within our proximity, the DMV area up and down a little parts of the east coast.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:22:16]:
Cause we have three schools in New Jersey and then we partner with a local nonprofit in Mississippi called The Diamond Project. And there for girls 11 to 18 years old, but they do community service projects all the time. This has become their ambassador program for them over our inventory down there. So the reason why we get five times out the year because simply we don't have the inventory. So we're fundraising in between that to make sure the local schools surrounded by us are provided for. But you know, the real goal is really the next phase of this is rolling out like an ambassador program. Local nonprofits like say Crusaders for Change have you know, a school in your area that monitors the donation because people say extremely blessed.
 
Shay Cook [00:22:59]:
Yes.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:23:00]:
We have storage full of toiletries. And so our, also our, our main goal was to get the toiletries out of our storage.
 
Shay Cook [00:23:07]:
Okay.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:23:08]:
To the schools. And God just continues to provide. Something always opens up and pops up and we know it's God. You give it and he's going to give it right back. As soon as something comes in, it's going right back out. And then we get another influx of oh wow. Yeah. That's how we're able to provide for the, all the schools that we work with right now.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:23:27]:
But it's really being selective and looking at the profile up at school and, and seeing if we can help them within our proximity of where we are located.
 
Shay Cook [00:23:38]:
Yeah, that makes sense. Oh wow. You guys are doing amazing things. I'm just blown right now. I mean just even amount of schools, 200 and some schools on the wait list. We got all these for profit business out here that can help you and grants. Oh my God. Wow.
 
Shay Cook [00:23:54]:
So what are some practical ways our listeners can be generous no matter their financial situation, whether on the, you know, low end underserved area to the rich. Like how can they, you know, what are some ways being generous outside of donating to Project Hygiene? Hello.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:24:11]:
Well, the most important thing is, and Shay can step in here too, is time. A lot of times when we're doing these back to school packing parties or toiletry box workshops, that is a project for families to be a part of. We're not even asking you to bring anything. We're just saying show up. We put five toiletries in a box. We simply ask people to write acts of kindness or a poem. We have a Project Hygiene poem that goes in every single care package that we give out. So if you can't give anything, you can write a message of encouragement to a family, to a young person.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:24:45]:
Just like the LA Fire Relief, we did a Hygiene toiletry drive for that. People were able to donate, of course, money. They were able to donate toiletries, but they were also able to donate their time. And I think just painting a picture to allow people to volunteer is another way that they can get involved with the work that we're doing. You want to add something? Yeah.
 
Anshay Tull [00:25:04]:
And so one of our programs under Project Hygiene is our "Women Give Women Receiving" March. And so, like she said, if you have time, we identify 25 women in children's shelters throughout that month that we highlight and that we honor. And so start in February, we push out the flyers and say, hey, sign up, help. Come package the boxes for us. Like she said, put the poems inside of there. That's showing an act of kindness and generosity as well. Just serving that time, packing those boxes to make sure that we push them out, because we want to get those boxes. We want to definitely highlight because we're all beautiful women.
 
Shay Cook [00:25:38]:
Amen.
 
Anshay Tull [00:25:39]:
And we want to always honor Women's History Month. And that's where that idea came from. So, like we said, we push out that program every single year. We highlight them on our social media. Can always continue to go to our
 
Anshay Tull [00:25:52]:
Website, push donate, but your time is definitely just showing up. If we don't or if we're not aware of a women and children's shelter, people can always and say, hey, we have identified the Samaritan shelter or the women's shelter that's in need right now. Put that on our list. We want to make sure that we get out toiletries and maybe a program into them during that month of March.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:26:12]:
And I mean, it's always going to go back to time. Like, yeah, we want money on donations, but when we got 25 women and children's shelters in the month of March for Women's History Month, we need help packing this stuff. Yeah, we need all hands on deck. So even if you giving that time and showing up for us is going to be even more impactful, because now, even though you may not see the students, somebody receives something that you pack. Oh, yeah, my hands to your hands. And so that's how we want people to know, like, give with a generous heart, but give with the time with that generous heart at the same time.
 
Anshay Tull [00:26:47]:
And we want to Let everybody know. These boxes go all over the country. They're just not here
 
Anshay Tull [00:26:51]:
Locally, we have like she said to Mississippi, to California, to Texas, Alabama. We identify these women and children's shelters.
 
Shay Cook [00:27:00]:
Oh, wow.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:27:01]:
Yeah.
 
Anshay Tull [00:27:02]:
And internationally as well.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:27:03]:
Yeah. Because then got on, somebody just reached out to us about partnering with them to send some stuff to Ghana and Jamaica. But even when St. Martin got hit and when the Barbados got hit and Puerto Rico got hit with some of the hurricanes, we have done hurricane benefit drives, gone to some of these places just to show that we are here to spend that time, but also to make sure you have the toiletries that you.
 
Shay Cook [00:27:26]:
Yeah, because then there's a ripple effect. Right. One act inspires the community and teamwork and ongoing impact. And do the kids from the schools or the volunteer or teachers get involved with helping giving back? You know, full circle. Yeah.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:27:40]:
Oh, yeah.
 
Shay Cook [00:27:40]:
Okay.
 
Anshay Tull [00:27:41]:
Even then, like I said, I'm an educator. I work at a school. Most high schools, most middle schools, it's a graduation requirement to have community service. So one of the things that I've done within the last few years, I always bring Project Hygiene in to do the kindness poems to stuff the boxes. So we always want to make sure that, hey, even my son, a couple weeks ago, he was at that table serving. This is your community service. You can start. You're in ninth grade now, so you have to get some hours as well.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:28:08]:
Exactly.
 
Anshay Tull [00:28:09]:
And just understanding the purpose of why this is so important to give back, like you said, in this acts of kindness and generosity. So, yes, we're always in school pushing it.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:28:17]:
Yeah. And the thing is, too, we don't just partner with schools and doing this particular packing stuff. Like, we're partnering with local organizations like NCNW (National Council of Negro Women), Alpha Phi Alpha Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, which we are both members of. Like, we have partnered with our home chapter a lot through Project Hygiene. So now we have our sorority sisters coming out to pack for us and they're bringing their kids. And so even too, the first school that we launched our hygiene closet in was Goldson Middle School in Landover in 2021. My sister and I wrote the vision for it in 2018 in the sun in the Outer Banks on vacation. It launched and Covid happened.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:28:57]:
And then by 21, we took rocking and rolling. But I want to call out Latisha Hubbard because she believed in what we were doing at Project Hygiene and she was a school counselor. And so she opened up her doors at Bolson Middle School for us to move our product in. And they were the first location that we opened. And even though she's not at Goldson anymore, she's now at Martin Luther King Middle School in Beltsville. It is just going to that school.
 
Anshay Tull [00:29:21]:
So now we have a hygiene park.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:29:23]:
The counselors, the nurses, the teachers, the principals are now getting on board saying, we want to be a part of this project. Let us know when it's time to volunteer again, you know, and so we do have donors, but we have returning volunteers because they see the work that we're doing is so impactful within their community. Absolutely.
 
Shay Cook [00:29:42]:
I love that. Oh, wow. And, you know, there's so much encouragement in the Bible and the word. Right. About generous living. And we just said it earlier with 2 Corinthians 9:7. Each of you should give what you decided to give in your heart, not reluctantly or on a compulsion. Don't nobody should be forcing you.
 
Shay Cook [00:29:59]:
It should be in your heart. God loves a cheerful giver. And, you know, I mean, and generosity is more than money, right? It's a lifestyle of blessing others with what we have, trusting God to multiply it. And when we give cheerfully and faithfully, even in small ways, even though, like I was saying to Shay and Shia earlier, I mean, even we say it's small, but it has huge impact, we become channels of his grace and provision, creating hope and healing in our community. So with that, wow, this was amazing. Where can people follow you? Any last thoughts?
 
Anshia Crooms [00:30:31]:
Oh, yeah, you can follow us@project hygiene.org and all of our social media, from LinkedIn to Instagram to Facebook to YouTube is all Project Hygiene. You have some last words you want to say? No. So we simply want to say thank you, Shay, for inviting us on Crusaders for Change. But, no, we just are so thankful to be here. We're really proud of the work that you're doing and how you're continuing to spread God's love and his word through people's mission and your own mission. And so, you know, just. We want to see you at the next packing party, too.
 
Shay Cook [00:31:06]:
I know. I was just thinking why I ain't been there. I know. I see. I follow you guys on socials, and I see it, but sometimes I just don't like going to D.C. and Virginia because I went there for so long. But I need to bring my butt out. I got my daughter here, my husband.
 
Shay Cook [00:31:18]:
We need to come out there. I need to have a family event. Or we could be doing these at holidays. I mean, seriously.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:31:25]:
People need to bring stuff, bring it out there to inter. We're grateful and just so more people can learn about our mission and all that we do. Because, like we always say, we are small, but we are mighty. But there's always a child that we're trying to save their life so they do not commit suicide, but also to make they stay healthy. And so what we gonna say? We gonna say what? Keep it clean with Project Hygiene.
 
Shay Cook [00:31:53]:
That's amazing. And we're here too, at Crusaders for Change and through this podcast, Yahweh's Money, to support everybody with their finances, which I know a lot of time goes hand in hand with what we're talking about here. And we might have to do another episode, how that really correlates. But thanks to Shia and Shay for this amazing episode, for everything you're doing with Project Hygiene. And I would say for the listeners, the call to action for this week is look for one way to bless someone in need, whether through giving time, resources, or encouragement. Remember, generosity isn't about how much you give, but the heart behind it. Pray for God to show you how to live generously in your daily life, trusting him to use your efforts to for his glory. Amen.
 
Shay Cook [00:32:35]:
Amen. Amen. Thank you, ladies. I love you ladies. Thank you. Keep doing what you're doing and. All right. Thank you guys for joining us.
 
Anshia Crooms [00:32:43]:
You're welcome.
 
Shay Cook [00:32:46]:
A big thank you for listening to this episode. We hope you found today's chat about the intersection of religion and money insightful. We would love to hear your feedback. Hit that subscribe button or follow follow the podcast and please feel free to leave us a review for the latest Yahweh's Money content. Visit us at crusaders4change.org or find us anywhere you listen to podcasts. Until next time, stay financially fit and spiritually inspired. And remember, it's always better Yahweh's way.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Shay Cook

Host
Head Shot

Anshia Crooms & Anshay Tull

Guest