Can you spare a square for local nonprofits?

Nonprofit Wellspring Women’s Center spends $5,860 on toilet paper each year – money that could instead provide 200 women and children with a nutritious breakfast every weekday for three weeks. St. John’s Shelter Program for Women and Children spends $4,000 on toilet paper, the equivalent of a week’s worth of shelter, food and services for 33 children.

Toilet paper? This humble but essential item is costly for countless nonprofits in Sacramento.

Sacramento Life Center’s toilet paper budget is $1,362, which would buy 1,047 free pregnancy tests. Women’s Empowerment’s toilet paper budget is $1,300, which would buy 433 bus passes so women who are homeless can find work.

Four years ago, United Way California Capital Region realized toilet paper was – pun intended – wiping out nonprofit budgets.

This year marks United Way’s 4th annual LIVE UNITED Toilet Paper Drive to help local nonprofits offset the cost for this staple item. The drive will take place 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on June 14 at the Cal Expo main entrance, 1600 Exposition Boulevard in Sacramento. Residents also can donate toilet paper online at www.yourlocalunitedway.org/tp-drive.

“It’s amazing the number of expenses nonprofits face that people don’t think about,” said Steve Heath, president and CEO, United Way California Capital Region. “Nonprofits work magic with their budgets to make a positive difference in countless lives in our region, but there’s only so much they can do. Donating toilet paper is a great way to join together and ensure more money goes toward vital programs that change people’s lives.”

Sacramento Children’s Home’s Crisis Nursery spends $1,300 on toilet paper each year – money that could provide 190 kids with food for four months. UCP of Sacramento and Northern California spends $868 on toilet paper, the equivalent of 31 hours of support for someone with a developmental disability.

Last year’s Toilet Paper Drive raised 115,840 rolls of toilet paper and this year’s goal is 125,000 rolls. Sac-Val Janitorial Supply will donate one roll for every two rolls collected.

Food Link, a Sacramento nonprofit, will store the toilet paper and help distribute it the following week to many of United Way’s 142 certified nonprofit partners in Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties.

Woodland United Way also will hold a toilet paper drive on June 14. Toilet paper can be dropped off at Woodland United Way, 1017 Main Street in Woodland. For information on the Woodland drive, call (530) 662-3633.

United Way is the region’s leading provider of innovative solutions on the community’s most pressing issues, including high school graduation rates, household financial stability and obesity. United Way’s team of nonprofits, businesses, donors and volunteers work together to provide positive, measurable results on these issues through United Way projects: STAR Readers, $en$e-Ability and Fit Kids. Community members can give, volunteer and advocate in support of the causes they care most about, benefiting United Way and hundreds of nonprofits in Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties. United Way is an independent, local affiliate of United Way Worldwide. For more information, visit www.yourlocalunitedway.org.