Essentials First held its first annual Day of Action on Feb. 4, gathering community members and lawmakers in Olympia to address hygiene insecurity as a public health issue. Founded in 2017 by Nabrath Sheriff and her mother, Nickhath Sheriff, Essentials First aims to provide equitable access to hygiene products across King County. The event featured 46 legislative meetings and drew 50 advocates, including Reps. Osman Salahuddin and Janice Zahn, as well as Sen. Yasmin Trudeau. Participants worked to elevate hygiene poverty as a key policy issue and positioned Essentials First as a legislative resource. They advocated for the protection of vital programs like SNAP and Medicaid and began building support for hygiene-focused policy solutions, including a hygiene tax exemption in the Millionaires Tax Bill. Nabrath Sheriff expressed gratitude for the support received and excitement for the future of the organization. Essentials First continues to invite community members to stay engaged through action alerts and advocacy opportunities.