Students and staff at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock are stepping up their community outreach efforts, shifting focus from food security to personal care as winter approaches. Following a recent Feed-the-Funnel philanthropy event that filled ready-to-cook meal bags for the Pack the Shack hunger relief charity, the campus community is now uniting behind a hygiene drive to support The Van.
Organizing Bags of Hope Across Little Rock and Bryant
Running through Nov. 18, the Bags of Hope drive is being organized by School of Social Work students Ahmed Alnomani, Leah Beaumont, Jasmine Kearney, and Trinity Louden. They are joined by fellow student Grace Maddox, who is interning with The Van, a local nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness.
The operational logistics of the drive give students, faculty, staff, and local residents multiple ways to contribute. Donations are being accepted at three primary campus locations: the School of Social Work on the fourth floor of Ross Hall, the main lobby of Ottenheimer Library, and the main lobby of the School of Nursing. Additional drop-off boxes have been placed at participating businesses across Little Rock and Bryant.
For those preferring online participation, organizers have set up an Amazon wish list to purchase needed goods directly. Donors can also check the Bags of Hope link page for an updated directory of community drop-off sites.
Meeting Immediate Needs as Temperatures Drop
As temperatures drop, organizers emphasize that everyday essentials often overlooked become critical.
“As winter approaches, hygiene products often get forgotten. Something as simple as a dry pair of socks can make a real difference in someone’s day,” Alnomani said.
The most-needed items requested by the organizers include socks, gloves, underwear, bar soap, menstrual products, and Neosporin. The drive is also collecting hand warmers, oral hygiene products, hair care items, deodorant, lotion, lip balm, wet wipes, bandages, antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer, flashlights, sunscreen, and batteries.
Beyond physical supplies, student organizers stress that the campaign serves a broader purpose regarding human dignity and community connection.
“I am going into social work because I believe everyone deserves to be seen and cared for. It is easy to look past people who are struggling right in front of us. I want this drive to be a reminder that they deserve the same care and dignity we’d want for anyone we love,” Louden said.
Maddox, drawing from her internship experience sorting donations and preparing supplies for distribution with The Van, noted the importance of her experience.
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned is how important it is to meet people where they are and build relationships rather than just provide supplies,” Maddox said.
“This drive is an opportunity for us to come together as a community and provide resources to individuals who deserve the same compassion and dignity as anyone else,” Kearney added.
Donations will continue to be accepted through Nov. 18. Anyone with questions about the drive can reach out via email at [email protected], and additional information about the nonprofit’s ongoing operations can be found through itsthevan.org.
