Hotel to provide personal care packs to homeless LGBTI community

Taking away unused shampoos, conditioners or soaps from a fancy hotel room before checking out - we are all guilty of doing this at least once. 

Now there's an organisation that's in need of those small packs we take for granted.

LGBTI organisation Rainbow Youth is providing members of the homeless LGBTI community with products that allow them to keep clean.

Up to 40 percent of homeless New Zealanders under the age of 25 identify as part of the LGBTI community, according to Lifewise. Sadly, the organisation adds that 26 percent of LGBTI youth in Aotearoa who come out to family are subsequently disowned and become homeless.

Rainbow Youth's push for personal cleaning product donations is only just beginning, but support from one of New Zealand's largest hotels has made the campaign for donations a lot easier.

SkyCity Hotels and Tower Auckland has donated 320 care packs to Rainbow Youth. The hotel's general manager Brad Burnett says it's one way SkyCity aims to help those in need.

"As a company, we support the communities in which we operate in a number of ways, from funding our substantial Community Trusts to giving surplus food to KiwiHarvest or donating hotel beds to Women's Refuge," says Mr Burnett.

The amenity packaging is also pretty friendly, too - on the environment. They're made out of recycled milk bottles through a partnership with Anchor. 

Four years ago, SkyCity Auckland became one of the first organisations in New Zealand to be accredited with a Rainbow Tick, an external certification progress designed to make workplaces welcoming and inclusive for members of the LGBTI community.

MediaWorks was awarded the Rainbow Tick earlier this year.

Newshub.