January 29, 2009 Issue
ASU Students Volunteer with Appalachian Women’s Fund in MLK Challenge
As part of the MLK Challenge on January 19, students from Appalachian volunteered to assist the Appalachian Women’s Fund with its Basic Buckets program, collecting donations for personal hygiene items and cleaning products provided to women who are moving from the OASIS and Hospitality House shelters into permanent housing. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Women’s Fund
While many people took advantage of a Monday off from work over the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, a group of industrious and socially conscious ASU students participated in the 10th Annual MLK Challenge to help area nonprofits like the Appalachian Women’s Fund. Through the Appalachian and Community Together (ACT) office on campus, approximately 200 students spent Monday, January 19, doing volunteer work in the community.
The Appalachian Women’s Fund enlisted the help of seven students to collect donations for the Basic Buckets program sponsored by the AWF. This small but powerful group started out with only $68 to purchase personal hygiene items and household cleaning supplies to fill the Basic Buckets delivered to OASIS and the Hospitality House. Each bucket costs approximately $25 to fill with items women need to get started in a new and safe environment upon leaving the temporary housing provided by these agencies. At day’s end, 16 buckets were completely filled and ready for delivery.
Appalachian Women’s Fund member Leslie Shavell commented on “the enlightened young men” participating in this challenge. “It’s important to educate everyone to the plight of domestic violence and homelessness and it’s powerful when both genders work together to break those cycles,” Shavell said.
MLK Site Coordinator Allison Huckins is proud of this effort because “the MLK Challenge is one of the most diverse events on campus. Our hope is that each participant will get connected with an agency and continue to be of service long after the challenge is over. We like to see students get out of their comfort zones.”
To help with the Basic Buckets program or any outreach sponsored by the Appalachian Women’s Fund, click to www.appalachianwomensfund.org or call 828-264-4002.
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