By RASSEY DE LOS SANTOS
Contributing Writer
For the last couple of years, The College of Saint Rose has held an event, “Shed Your Clothes,” from April 27 to May 1. This event is meant to inspire people to donate their unwanted clothes to the less fortunate community members in the Albany area.
“This event started five years ago. The Community Service Committee of the Student Association wanted to give back to the community, in other ways than money,” said Justin Whittaker, president of Student Association. “The Community Service Committee decided to start a clothing drive to donate to the local homeless shelter.”
Students had two options: they could either drop the clothes off in one of the two SA vans in front of the EAC, or drop off their items in the Student Association office.
The drive typically fills up at least one of the vans, according to Courtney Carr, director of communications for the Student Association.
“I think this event is important because we do get to help out the locals; we usually hold the event towards the end of the year, because students are getting ready to go home and they begin to clean out their closets and start to see things they may not want,” Carr said.
The donated clothing goes to the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless, “so it’s not like we just send it off and no one knows where the clothes are going, and we also have such a good relationship with them,” Carr said.
The two vans sat outside the EAC until the conclusion of the event. Clothes begin to pile up in the cars and the Student Association office begins to fill up with bags and boxes of clothes.
“For the past two years, we have filled up the entire back seat of our SA vans. There probably have been 25 to 50 garbage bags full of clothes. Every time we drop the items off at the Interfaith, they are so appreciative of the donations,” Whittaker said. “We can see the reactions to some of the guest’s faces when we bring the donations in.”
Students are encouraged by the Student Association office to donate their unwanted clothes to lend the people who need it most a helping hand. Most students are willing to donate.
“I donated a few bags last year and now I’m doing the same this year,” said Sharrod Williams, a sophomore at The College. “I think it’s such a good cause and it’s important to give back to your community in some form, big or small. You’re still making a difference and I will continue participating every year.”
The Student Association has no plans to remove the “Shed Your Clothes” event because it has become a helpful and resourceful experience for the college and for to Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless.
