Basic Necessities
Diapers, Period Products & Incontinence Supplies in the ArkLaTex
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Diaper, Period Products & Incontinence Supply Bank
Basic Necessities is a Shreveport-based nonprofit organization that collects and distributes diapers, period products & incontinence supplies to low-income people in the ArkLaTex region. We are the only designated diaper/period product bank in this region.
Our target clients are low-income individuals & families living in the ArkLaTex, who cannot afford diapers, period products, and/or incontinence supplies due to unemployment, illness, and/or temporary economic difficulties.
Unfortunately, public assistance programs like WIC, SNAP, and Medicaid do not cover these specific items unless they are prescribed by a doctor as part of a medical treatment plan.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
National Diaper Bank Network 2020
Alliance for Period Supplies 2020
External reviews

Photos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
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Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our primary goals are:
Alleviate poverty in the ArkLaTex,
Prevent unnecessary illness and medical expenses for people who cannot afford sanitary supplies,
Advocate for policies that positively affect low-income families, and prevent diaper need & period poverty.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
We began serving local Title 1 public schools based on feedback from a School Counselor. She explained that Louisiana's public schools receive nominal funding from the state government to buy period products for students, and that she was purchasing them out-of-pocket. Basic Necessities has adjusted our business model to include service to low-income public schools.
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Basic Necessities
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Debbie Hollis
Basic Necessities
Term: 2020 - 2030
Pam Rowell
Basic Necessities
Term: 2020 - 2030
Jaime Cantrell
Texas A&M University - Texarkana
Sandra Roberson
BPCC
Breanna Coco-Serna
Centenary College
Brenda Coco
VOA
Dottie McWhiney
Volunteer
Debbie Hollis
Basic Necessities
Pam Rowell
Retired
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/04/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.