Religious life collects supplies for hurricane relief

Religious Life students and faculty are organizing aid for those affected by the recent hurricanes in the United States and its territories.

Officials said they are putting together relief baskets with collected supplies.

“We are collecting items that will be packaged together,” said Reverend Elizabeth Horton-Ware, director of Religious Life. “They are mainly used for cleaning up after, so first response to those storms.”

Rev. Horton-Ware said Religious Life is looking for anything that will help to clean up after a storm.

“Cleaning supplies,” Rev. Horton-Ware said. “There is a long list with some specific needs, but they all go together in a five gallon bucket, and then they get shipped off to go help people.”

If students are looking to donate, they can do so in the chapel.

“We have two bins in the chapel,” Rev. Horton-Ware said. “Both in our front doors, one in the upstairs space as you head into the chapel sanctuary and one downstairs as you head into Watson Lounge.”

Rev. Horton-Ware said if students want to help others in their class or major collect items, there are also bins that can be shared across campus.

Religious Life is specifically looking for scouring pads, sponges, scrub brushes, cleaning towels, liquid laundry detergent, household cleaner, disinfectant dish soap, clothes pins, dust masks, pairs of latex gloves, insect repellent, clothes lines, cans of air freshener, and heavy duty trash bags.

Jacob Harrell, religion/english sophomore, is an intern at the Wesley Center in the Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel.

“Hurricanes are something that happen all the time, and it is something that we can prepare for because we know it’s going to happen,” Harrell said.

Harrell said with the help of The United Methodist Corps, a relief group within the Methodist church, they have a better way of putting together relief after natural disasters.

“UM Corps has put together a very stable way to continuously help people,” Harrell said, “Every single penny that goes to their organization goes to victims, and it’s one of the best charities when it comes to disaster relief.”