Social Work Club donates clothing to Springfield's homeless

December 08, 2008

Evangel University’s Social Work Club donated more than 350 articles of clothing to the Missouri Hotel last month, providing a warmer holiday season for the homeless population of Springfield.

The “gently-used” winter clothing items included 55 adult-sized coats and 12 youth-sized coats. Sweaters, pants, scarves, hats, gloves and shoes were also among the items collected from students, faculty and staff of the university.

Each year EU’s Social Work Club conducts a “drive” this time of year. In past seasons they have collected food but decided on a clothing drive this year.

“It is important for students, especially social work majors, to be a part of these types of projects because it exposes them to real-life issues that will be present in the social work profession,” says Social Work Program Secretary Dawnetta Cooper.

“The students also see the work that goes into making changes for the marginalized. One cannot snap his or her fingers and hope for a change. In this case, the students involved were responsible for making the first connection with the agency for the donation, delivering boxes to gather the donations to the different departments and dorms around campus, raising awareness by telling friends and classmates, retrieving all of the clothing, sorting and counting the clothing and then making the actual donation.”

Social Work Club President Tristen Roberts and Vice-President Kate Irwin made the donations at the Missouri Hotel on November 24.