January 06, 2010

AmeriCorps team sponsoring donation drive

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A group of Southern Illinois University Carbondale students will honor the life and work of the late Martin Luther King Jr. with a project benefitting several area charitable organizations.

The SIUC Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps team is having a “Drive Up and Drop Off Donation Drive” from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Jan. 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, at the Carbondale Wal-Mart parking lot. Members invite the public to bring donations of new or gently used clothing, food, and books to the specially marked tables. Signs will direct the way.

Especially needed are infant and children’s clothing, coats, gloves and hats as well as canned goods and nonperishable food items and books. Just drive up and drop off the donations. It’s a good chance to clean out the closets and help others at the same time.

Items collected at the Donation Drive will go to the Women’s Center, Inc, Pregnancy Matters, Community Closet Outreach, Good Samaritan Ministries Food Pantry and Goodwill in Carbondale.

“The SIUC Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps team is holding this donation drive to play our small part in helping ease the burden for over-stretched food and clothing pantries that provide help to those in need. This is an event we decided to take on in honor of the life and legacy of MLK Jr.,” said William Ryan, a junior political science major from Olive Branch who is coordinating the SIUC Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps Donation Drive.

For more information, contact Ryan at 618/521-9257 or via e-mail at bill.ryan.11@gmailcom.