Press Room

Posted on: Mon, 05/19/2025 - 05:00

(Ontario, California – May 19, 2025) – You’re about to enter the airport’s security screening area when you realize you have a new tube of toothpaste, a barely used bottle of sunscreen or another toiletry item that’s just too big to keep in your carryon luggage. So you throw it in the nearest trash can, telling yourself, “What a waste.” 

Now these OOPS can help our TROOPS, thanks to a new program at Ontario International Airport (ONT) that encourages passengers to drop off any new or lightly used toiletries that are larger than the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-allowed 3.4-ounce size before entering the secure area. Through the Toiletries for Troops program, a partnership between ONT and its USO, dedicated bins have been placed just outside TSA screening areas in both terminals.

The donated personal care items will be regularly collected by volunteers from USO. New toiletries will be distributed to military personnel who are traveling through the airport, whether they’re departing for deployment or returning home. Gently used items will be donated to Seeds of Hope for Veterans, a nonprofit co-founded by one of our USO volunteers and his wife, Mike and Karen Rogel, to support local veterans. 

Heba Shanaa, Environmental Planner for the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA), said the Toiletries for Troops program not only will support military members and veterans, but will reduce waste by repurposing toiletries that would otherwise go to local landfills. 

“We hope Toiletries for Troops can help make passengers feel better about having to discard items, since they'll be contributing to the well-being of service members who have sacrificed so much for our country, while also protecting the planet,” Shanaa said.

Brandi Elias, USO Inland Empire Area Operations Manager, said the partnership with ONT is a natural fit.

“It offered a perfect solution to help meet an ongoing need: providing essential toiletries to the troops traveling through our Inland Empire USO locations.” 

Elias said toiletries are a frequent need for the troops her organization serves: “They’re often requested for care packages, and they’re especially helpful for service members returning from intense training exercises in our local desert areas, and deployment departures and arrivals. Providing these items allows us to support their well-being and comfort during transitions.” 

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About Ontario International Airport

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is California's most popular mid-sized airport, according to J.D. Power's most recent North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which offers nonstop commercial jet service to two dozen major airports in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram

About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA): 

The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA leaders include Ontario Mayor pro Tem Alan D. Wapner (President), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Treasurer) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).