Last year, residence hall students filled five PODS with thousands of useful items that more than 1,000 clients from United Way of Hays County agencies then selected from as they "shopped" for free in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom. All students have to do is drop off unwanted items in designated barrels in residence halls. Then, once the items are collected, they will be set up in a garage sale setting and needy families are invited to shop for free.

Students can donate items such as clothes, shoes, unopened shampoo and soap, non-perishable food, computers and books.  The collection starts Friday, April 27 and continues through Saturday, May 12. Students with oversized items may drop them off at the LBJ Student Center Ballroom on May 4-6 between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or call us to arrange for pick-up.

Those needing to earn community service hours should be aware that volunteers are needed to help collect items from halls.

Faculty, staff, departments, divisions and programs are also asked to consider "adopting" a residence hall. Volunteers  visit assigned residence halls once a day from May 1-14, bagging items that students leave in the Pack It Up barrels and transport them to a storage POD near the hall for safekeeping until sorting begins.

More volunteers will be needed on June 4-6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to help sort items at the LBJ Student Center Ballroom, the location of the shopping event.  Volunteers are also needed June 7 from 7 a.m.--noon, during the distribution.

Anyone interested in helping should e-mail Kim Porterfield at KP10@txstate.edu or call Community Relations at 245-9645. Volunteer shifts are flexible enough to meet any schedule!  If anyone has items to donate for the distribution, they can be brought to the ballroom on June 4 through 6 between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or contact Kim Porterfield for pickup assistance.

For more information, visit http://www.txstate.edu/community.