My grandaughter got 2 letters out during her first 6 weeks at Casa by the Sea. The first which made it through asked for soap. The second, 3 weeks later, contained thanks for the soap.
She lost her only bar of soap on her first week there, by leaving it in the shower. She was told she was "up shit creek", and new toiletries would be available by passing before a cardboard box of cheap stuff available only on the first of each month. For her "family" of 25 girls, a total of nearly $2500 was paid by parents for a cardboard box of the poorest quality of personal products. When she lost her soap (or even if it was stolen), no replacement was available.
Her mother sent her a small gift box containing bar soap (no specials such as perfumed personal items were allowed). This package was sent to Chula Vista. CA to Casa Couriers, a parents' group which sends packages on a random schedule, identifying them as "school materials, books, etc." Their web site gives explicit instructions on how to hide items from Mexican inspection and how to remove any labels signifying Chinese origin (Mexico has a high tariff on those imports). Begun as an effort to circumvent the $100 Federal Express fees for delivery to Ensenada, this group sends packages but requests a "donation" of $20 for each smaller package.
So the saga of a bar of Irish Spring goes from $95 per month "incidental" fees to the $$$ of purchasing, wrapping, mailing such items to Southern California, to the $20 or more to have Casa Couriers do their very illicit delivery. All for a bar of soap, which is not covered in the $2000 monthly boarding fee.