14 October 2026 at 09:00PM
Packed with Purpose: The Kits That Carried Our Community's Heart
Some projects begin with a spreadsheet and a deadline. This one began with a folding table, a pile of toiletries, and a group of people who simply showed up.
This season, the PMI-LA Chapter Social Impact Committee had the quiet honor of assembling and delivering 200 toiletry kits to two of Los Angeles' most trusted and beloved organizations — Friends In Deed in Pasadena and The Midnight Mission in downtown LA.
Each kit was filled with everyday essentials — the kinds of things most of us reach for every morning without a second thought, but that carry real weight for someone navigating homelessness or poverty. Shampoo. Soap. A toothbrush. Small things. Enormous things.
Behind every single one of those kits: people who cared.
We want to shine a light on the two PMI-LA members who made this possible — Deby, Patty, and Lana. They rolled up their sleeves, cleared their schedules, and assembled every last kit with the quiet dedication that makes our committee what it is, then delivered it. No fanfare. Just the work, done with love.
The drop-off at Friends In Deed was one of those moments that stays with you. Founded more than 130 years ago, Friends In Deed has spent over a century meeting people exactly where they are — without judgment, without red tape, without conditions. Their belief is simple and profound: every person deserves dignity, warmth, and hope. Walking through their doors and being welcomed by volunteers Coty and Ivy, you feel that belief in the air. Their kindness reminded us exactly why this work matters.
The Midnight Mission shares that same spirit. For over a hundred years, they have been a steady light in downtown Los Angeles — offering shelter, meals, recovery support, and a path forward for neighbors in need. Our kits arrived as a small but sincere contribution to the long chain of care they have built.
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Why we love this model — and why we will keep doing it. This type of engagement — what we call a combined contribution — is one of the Social Impact Committee's favorite ways to show up. We fund the materials, assemble them together, and place them directly in the hands of organizations that know how to deliver them to the people who need them most. It is low-budget. It is high-impact. And it is deeply, wonderfully human. |
It is also a reminder that project management is not just a professional skill. It is a way of showing up — organized, intentional, and present. Sometimes the most meaningful project you will ever manage is a folding table, a bag of essentials, and a team of colleagues who believed that this is what community looks like.
More kit builds are on the way. If you have a nonprofit in mind, or you would like to volunteer at our next assembly event, we would love to have you with us.
📬 Reach out: SocialImpact@pmi-la.org
