Issue date: 12/1/04 Section: News

November is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month. Suffolk University's community service group S.O.U.L.S. (Suffolk Organization for Uplifting Lives through Service) will continue to accept donations of canned goods and warm clothing until Dec. 9. These items will be donated to local Boston area shelters to benefit the homeless.

Donation boxes can be found in all major Suffolk University buildings and residence halls.

The S.O.U.L.S. office has already begun to accumulate boxes of canned goods and clothing for holiday donations. Over 1,000 non-perishable items and $421 have been donated, according to service scholar junior Chantha Toeum.

"Everyone was really eager and we've gotten a lot of clothes and shoes," service scholar and sophomore Kayla Lathrop said.

S.O.U.L.S. members went to both residence halls three times to complete a "dorm storm" in order to collect items and money for the drive.

"Students are short on food themselves, but they are always still willing to donate ramen and granola bars," Lathrop said.

Already, S.O.U.L.S. has surpassed its original goal for the food drive as well as last year's total amount of items.

"All the goals I've set have been met and went beyond. I am happy to see the level of commitment that the students have helped with volunteering and donating. It goes a long way," Toeum said.

In addition to the food and clothing drive, Toeum gave disposable cameras to the homeless to document a day in the life of a homeless person. The pictures were displayed in an exhibit, "24 Hours: Through the Eyes of a Homeless Person." The pictures are now displayed on the 4th floor of the Donahue building.

"I think the exhibit and the Oxfam banquet helped to open up people's eyes and to get people to donate," Toeum said.

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