SERVE, Inc. is partnering with local Callaway County schools to collect travel-sized toiletry items to be used to make care packages for homeless around the county.
The school collection effort will run Feb. 13-28. Community members without school-age children can take items to SERVE's main location, 4901 County Road 304 in Fulton.
"We currently do not have a specified program to help individuals who face homelessness," Executive Director Steve Mallinckrodt said. "This is a small effort to recognize some of the needs faced by those individuals and possibly make their situation a little more bearable."
While SERVE will have Hearts for the Homeless care packages available at their main office for homeless individuals who utilize their services, the main goal is to get community members involved with the project to reach those who may lack access.
Community members will be able to request care packages to keep on hand to personally distribute if they see someone in need during day-to-day errands. Hearts for the Homeless packages will contain soaps, shampoos, dental products, small food items, an information card with local resources and contact information, and a ticket for a free round-trip ride with SERVE Transportation.
"It is hard for us to truly touch the lives of those who are homeless because they don't always walk through our doors," Outreach program director Brittany Abbot said. "But it is our goal to reach out with a small token to educate our clients, faced with difficult times, of available services and provide them with quick needs type items.
"This is also a way to help break some of those hard fast stereotypes by encouraging community members to help homeless individuals first hand by distributing care packages themselves."
The SERVE main office will accept donations of toiletry items 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 9 a.m.- noon on Friday