Lauren RabainoAs the Southern California wildfires rage on and more than 500,000 residents are forced to flee their homes, recreation centers throughout Southern California are in need of personal care items.
To show support, Student Community Services (SCS), a program of Cal Poly’s Student Life and Leadership, has collaborated with Meathead Movers to collect donations for evacuees.
“The general Poly community has many connections in San Diego and Southern California and are affected by the wildfires,” said Adam Serafin of Student Life and Leadership. “It is important to show support in any little way that we can.”
SCS has set up collection bins on campus located in the SCS office at UU 217 and in the Associated Students Inc. office at UU 202. Donations will be collected through Saturday.
SCS also organized six donation spots at grocery stores throughout San Luis Obispo. They are asking customers if they can buy a few things on the needed items flyer and donate them to the evacuees.
Needed items include toiletries like toothpaste, toothbrushes, and lip balm; non-perishables such as canned food and bottle water; bedding such as sleeping bags, tents and blankets; and miscellaneous items like baby wipes, towels, board games and cards, books, hats, flashlights and batteries.
Meathead Movers took a trip Thursday night to multiple major recreation centers where evacuees are residing throughout Southern California to drop off the donations. They are planning to make another trip on Sunday or Monday.
According to Serafin, SCS has been getting plenty of responses to the donation drive.
“There have been a lot of positive responses,” Serafin said.
“Many people have contacted me about the donation drive to see how they can help. Many students who are affected by the wildfires are happy to see that we are helping out.”
Students who have family evacuated due to the wildfires expressed their gratitude for the quick response of assistance.
“It’s really great that people are responding quickly to the needs of people who have been affected by the fires and are raising money to help the victims,” business senior Kevin O’Connell said.
O’Connell’s mother evacuated from her home in Rancho Penasquitos, a community in northeastern San Diego, and is now staying at a relative’s house in Mission Valley.
“After Katrina, we need to respond to natural disasters more quickly,” O’Connell said.