The university is collecting new, clean or gently used winter attire including coats, hats, gloves and scarves for all ages from now until Dec. 13.
“We have an incredibly generous community in terms of their willingness to share what they have and it really helps out and provides,” said Cassandra Pegg-Kirby, director of the Women’s Center. “What’s a really important sense of community on this campus and in the greater Portage County area is that we’re looking out for one another.”
The 2024 Winter Coat and Clothing Drive aims to collect items for campus’ Winter Warm-Up Stations and the Portage County Clothing Center.
Winter Warm-Up Stations can be found at the Williamson House from October through March; the Student Center’s first floor outside room 106 from Nov. 18 to Jan. 24; and the Tri-Towers’ Flashes Fighting Hunger Food Pantry Tuesdays and Fridays from 3 to 6 p.m. from Nov. 1 through Dec. 13.
“Sometimes people don’t realize that college students need stuff too, just because they’re in college, doesn’t mean they have a lot of resources,” Pegg-Kirby said.
Pegg-Kirby said sometimes people think students have a lot of resources because they are enrolled at a university, but that is not always the case, she said.
Donation bins marked with “Winter Coat” and “Clothing Drive” signs are located at the Center for Undergraduate Excellence’s first floor room 151, DI Hub’s second floor lobby, library’s first floor lobby and Memorial Athletic Convocation Center’s main lobby.
Donation bins can also be found in room 261 on the second floor of the Schwartz Center, Career Exploration and Development, Student Recreation and Wellness Center lobby outside of the Well Hub, Williamson House first floor front desk lobby and Tri-Towers first floor lobby.
Pegg-Kirby said the drive ensures students are receiving the clothing they need so they can focus on their studies instead of how to stay warm.
“We know there’s a need in Portage County, and we know there is a need on campus,” Pegg-Kirby said.
During the 2023 Winter Coat and Clothing Drive, Kent State collected over 500 pounds of clothing that went to the Portage County Clothing Center, and over 300 items went to Winter Warm-Up Stations on campus.
“It’s a really good opportunity to embody who we say we are at Kent State in terms of community and looking out for one another,” Pegg-Kirby said. “[The drive] is one of those examples of the generosity of the community and how we take care of one another.”
Lauren Bischof is a beat reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
