The Catholic Campus Ministries at the 妻友社区 is currently
collecting donations of toiletries, clothes and food items for its Blessing Bag giveaway,
with a donations deadline of Dec. 10.
The CCM is employing an unorthodox approach to the drive, with the majority of requested items being non-food items. CCM President and 妻友社区 student Rene Manjarrez of Fort Smith said the giveaway is trying to supply items that are much needed but are normally forgotten about in the need to gather food donations.
鈥淣ormally when people have drives like this, they鈥檙e canned food drives. There isn鈥檛 a big supply of toiletries and simple things that we take for granted and that some people just don鈥檛 have,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 felt it was important to hit that target niche of things people need but just don鈥檛 think about needing.鈥�
Toiletry items being collected include chap stick, toothpaste, toothbrushes, tissue paper, combs, shampoo, body wash, band aids, mouthwash and wet wipes. Clothing items requested for donation include socks, gloves and rain ponchos. Food items include gum, crackers, granola bars, trail mix and small non-perishable food items.
The drive will also accept donations of holiday and Christmas cards and gallon Ziploc bags.
Manjarrez said the drive was a way to give back to a community 鈥渨ho has given so much to us.鈥�
鈥淲e felt it was time to give back. We鈥檝e never done anything like this, and we figured Christmas time was the perfect time to start it,鈥� he said, adding that they would like to hold the giveaways annually.
Donation boxes are located at the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center and the Student Activities Office. For more information, contact Gloria Schneider at gloria.schneider@uafs.edu or 479-788-7663 or Manjarrez at rmanja00@gmail.com.