By By: Alyssa Foster
Staff Writer
The IU South Bend SGA Philanthropy Committee is hosting a feminine hygiene product donation drive from March 22-26.
Various feminine hygiene products, including body soap, deodorant, pads, tampons, menstrual cups and toothpaste are being collected from students and staff for the South Bend YWCA. Donations will be collected in boxes throughout the IU South Bend campus.
Each year the SGA Philanthropy Committee raises money for community and student organizations by getting students on campus engaged with their philanthropic efforts. They have hosted in-person gatherings through benefit dinners in the past, but this year is different due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have been trying to hold drives to collect donations for various organizations instead, as it is something we can do that doesn’t cause people to gather,” Sara McMahon, SGA Philanthropy Committee chair, said.
Collected items will be sorted through by the Philanthropy Committee to ensure they are all clean and usable and will then be quarantined for two weeks before being delivered to the YWCA.
Monetary donations are still encouraged for those who cannot get to campus. The YWCA has a donation link on their website, www.ywcancin.org.
“Our goal is mainly to raise awareness of the institutions in order to help them out as much as possible. So, although the SGA is not officially aware of any of the money donated, it still makes a difference to the organizations that receive the donations. To us, that’s what matters most,” McMahon said.
The goal for this month’s donation drive is five full boxes of donations, or one full box each day. This is the first year that the Philanthropy Committee has run donation drives instead of large events, so any donations are greatly appreciated.
“I think this year we are actually setting a precedent for future drives that we can do – it’s an excellent learning experience for us in the committee, and we can use the experiences we gain with these drives to create amazing things in the future,” McMahon said.
Donation boxes will be set up in Northside in front of Joshi Hall, in the EA lobby, by the parking garage in Weikamp, in the honors lounge in the Admin building, and the SGA office in SAC 202.
