The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at Quinsigamond Community College is always finding ways to help local organizations or populations in need. They raised thousands at the fall cookout while working tirelessly to start a campus food pantry from scratch. As we start to feel the effects of the seasons changing, dig out our hats, and jackets, and reluctantly turning on our home heating systems, PTK students are busy thinking about the many who are unable to do so.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness (2017 data), more than 17,000 people are homeless in Massachusetts on any given night. How does this happen? Domestic violence, job loss, physical disabilities, untreated mental illness and a host of other reasons. For some, living just on the edge, scraping by with the bare minimum, one unexpected medical bill or car repair can push them beyond their financial means and out on the street.
You know that feeling when you put on a brand new, fresh pair of socks? Or when your lips are so chapped, your chapstick feels like heaven? Or when you open your front door and run back for a scarf or gloves to keep you warm? Imagine NOT having a scarf? Or having to wear your cold, wet socks for days on end? That would be a sad, uncomfortable feeling. A feeling that too many people are experiencing, right now... right here in our community.
So, it's in this spirit that students are creating bags of essentials that they will hand-deliver to homeless residents of Worcester. These items will keep them just a little bit warmer, drier and more comfortable when they need it most.
How can you help? See below for a list of items needed to create the bags they will distribute. The next time you're at the store, think about picking up one or two or ten of them and how much they will be appreciated by the person who needs them so badly. Donations can be dropped off at the Phi Theta Kappa office on the 3rd floor of the Administration Building on our West Boylston Street Campus in Worcester.
Items needed:
- Gloves
- Hats
- Scarves
- Socks
- Band-Aids
- Toilet Paper
- Tissues
- Chapstick
- Deodorant
- Lotion
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
- Comb/Brush
- Feminine Hygiene Products
- Rain Ponchos
- Crackers
- Water
- Breakfast/Granola Bars
Thank you for helping our students help the homeless.
