Grand Valley State University has welcomed yet another opportunity for students to give back to the community; one just in time for the holidays that will unite people together to donate care packages to the homeless.

Packing Hope is a student organization that was recently established in October. Club president and founder Erin O’Rourke was inspired to help the homeless after being approached on multiple occasions in downtown Grand Rapids. Despite her friends telling her to ignore them, it struck a chord with her.

“I was thinking, ‘there’s got to be something we can do to stop people from just feeling bad for them and actually do something to make (their situation) better,’” O’Rourke said.

To gauge interest in the club, she reached out to her friends and sorority sisters which, to her surprise, resulted in a huge response. Once an executive board and faculty advisor were chosen, the group was officially indicted as a new joiner of GVSU’s student organizations.

Packing Hope aims to fill backpacks with supplies that are commonly needed by the homeless, such as warm clothing, toiletries and small food items.

Since the club is currently in the fundraising stage, they are planning events in an effort to get more people involved to donate and help fill the backpacks.

The organization will be placing boxes in a variety of local businesses throughout the Grand Rapids community for people to donate items.

Adviser of Packing Hope, David Austin, has reached out to Heartside Ministry in downtown Grand Rapids in an effort to find out what items the homeless are in need of, as well as where the care packages should be distributed.

Amber Miller, treasurer and public relations officer for the organization, says that she joined Packing Hope because helping the homeless has always been a passion of hers, and that she doesn’t see how Packing Hope can be unsuccessful as long as they can help at least one person.

“I’m a little nervous about how (the homeless) will react,” O’Rourke said. “We’re just here to help. We want them to be happy, safe, healthy and warm especially during this cold winter.”

The organization is in need of warm clothing donations such as socks, gloves, blankets, hats and scarves. Other items needed are travel-sized toiletries and small non-perishable food items such as granola bars. Monetary donations are accepted as well, and will go toward buying items to fill the backpacks.

Packing Hope will be accepting donations in the Kirkhof Center, otherwise anyone is free to contact the organization to drop off their donation.

Packing Hope holds a general meeting every Thursday night in the Honors College in Room 148 at 9 p.m. Anyone interested in joining the organization, donating or simply helping pack backpacks is welcome to attend a meeting and learn more about the organization, O’Rourke said.

For more information, please visit Packing Hope’s OrgSync page or e-mail
[email protected].

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