Green Team Collects Food and Clothing for Community

Sustainability is more than simply caring for the environment. The definition of a sustainable society ensures that all people of the community have their basic needs met. The students of Green Team Southwestern do not ignore this social justice component of sustainability. They organize projects that attempt to meet some of the basic needs that go lacking for some in the Winfield community.

The latest project put on by the members of the Green Team's social justice committee provided clothes and food for people in the community, all the while keeping those same items out of the local landfill. At the end of each semester, students pack up their things and move home for break or they move away from Southwestern to embark on a new adventure. Regardless of where they go, many students are simply unable or unwilling to cram everything they have accumulated at SC into their vehicles. Normally, the stuff the students deem unnecessary winds up in the dumpsters and later in the landfill.

The Green Team is giving students another alternative to throwing away unwanted, but perfectly useful stuff by organizing a "Move-Out Collection". Green Team students placed large boxes all over campus in hopes of collecting some unwanted clothing or food this past December, as the fall semester was winding down. Students as they moved out of the dorms could place unwanted items in the boxes and the Green Team donated the items to local non-profit organizations The items were then distributed to those who neededthem.

This December, the Green Team collected and donated around 50 large bags of clothing to Central Baptist Church in Winfield. "I was honestly shocked by the amount that was donated. I was sure that some people would donate, since some people graduated in December and left, but the sheer amount of support we received was amazing and humbling," said Kelcie Parrish, Green Team senior and coordinator of the Social Justice Committee. The Green Team also collected some canned food items and some money which was donated to the Winfield Food Pantry.

"The turnout was very surprising. It was cool to see how much the campus and community gave. I am excited for the spring drive," said Jess Ratzlaff, Green Team junior. The Green Team will spend time this spring semester gearing up for a larger "Move Out Collection" as graduation approaches.