ABOUT

Hello! I’m Jake Draluck, the founder of We Got You and a current junior at The George Washington University. 

I came up with the idea for We Got You while home from school in the Chicago area during the coronavirus pandemic. When I heard Governor Pritzker, in his daily update, mandate that face coverings be worn in all stores and public places, I began to wonder how all members of our communities would even be able to obtain masks when they had become so difficult to find at any price. While I knew that the governor’s order was meant to minimize the spread of COVID-19, it seemed unfair to put under-resourced members of our community in a position where they had to scramble to find a product that they may not have access to and may not be able to afford. As I began to research the issue, I confirmed that the mask order did not provide any funding for people who could not afford or obtain masks on their own, and I decided to contact some of the local food pantries to see if I could be helpful in getting masks into the hands of their clients who might need them. 

In my discussions with local food pantries and shelters, I learned that not only was the lack of access to masks causing anxiety for pantry clients who either could not find them or afford them, but in the wake of coronavirus shutdowns where many clients had become unemployed, there was a general demand for basic hygiene products that was not being met at all. I found out that while food insecurity was being addressed at the pantries, hygiene items like deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other basic necessities that people need to live their lives were often overlooked by donors, even though these essential items had become impossibly expensive for those who had lost their jobs. 

When I learned that hygiene products, including masks, deodorant and toothpaste, cannot be purchased with SNAP Cards or through other government assistance programs, and that so few people are aware of this immediate need, I created We Got You to try become part of the solution.

Our mission is to ensure that people in our communities have the basic hygiene products they need to begin their day with dignity, and ensure they can travel throughout their communities freely and safely with a proper face covering.

We Got You stands ready to identify and alleviate pressing needs at food pantries and shelters in our community and beyond.

To see how you can help with a product or monetary donation, visit our “How to Help” page.