Bulldog Basics, a program at the University of Georgia, marked its tenth anniversary in March, according to a Mar. 20 announcement. The initiative began in March 2016 as The Hygiene Closet, offering free toiletry items to students from a single grab-and-go space.
The program addresses the challenge many students face in affording both personal care products and academic materials. Over the past decade, Bulldog Basics has expanded into a campus-wide resource that provides hundreds of students with essential personal care and toiletry products each year.
Led by the Student Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and founded with UGA staff member Cara Winston Simmons, Bulldog Basics was created to ensure no student would have to choose between basic needs and their education. “What I hoped for was a program that honored student dignity,” Simmons said. “What I did not expect was how many people across campus would step forward and say I want to help. That still moves me.” The program grew quickly after its launch, eventually rebranding as Bulldog Basics in 2017 to better reflect its services. It now operates through an online store where students can order up to five items per week for pickup at Milledge Hall.
When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted operations in 2020, Bulldog Basics adapted by shifting to online ordering and contactless pickup. In 2023, the program moved with Simmons from the College of Family and Consumer Sciences to the Office for Student Success and Achievement at Milledge Hall, where she serves as staff director.
Since its inception, Bulldog Basics has distributed thousands of essential items such as laundry detergent and menstrual products. In the current academic year alone, more than 765 orders have been filled, saving students over $95,000 since 2020. Julia Buwick, community of care coordinator in Student Care and Outreach, said: “Bulldog Basics is an important part of the basic needs network here at UGA. Their mission of providing hygiene and personal items to students is essential for helping them access important items that can often be costly on a college budget.” The program relies on monetary and product donations as well as support from student staff and volunteers.
Looking ahead, Bulldog Basics continues to invite donations and volunteer support through its eStore or directly at Milledge Hall.
