Montana Tech nursing students seek donations for Butte children
Three Montana Technological University nursing students are asking the Butte community to help provide socks and hygiene products to local children in need through a donation drive benefiting Bulldog Outfitters.
Seniors Brooke Vook, Saylor Allen and Moriah Reich, who will graduate in December, organized the drive to support Bulldog Outfitters, a free resource providing clothing and hygiene essentials to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The program, located at the Don People's Sr. Complex at 600 Gilman Ave., serves students in the Butte school district and the Butte Central Catholic Schools.
The Sherry Lesar School of Nursing requires that students organize a community outreach project to benefit underserved populations. After coordinating with Butte-Silver Bow Superintendent of Schools Jim O'Neill, the students learned that socks and hygiene products were among Bulldog Outfitters’ greatest needs.
"No kid should have to worry about having basic necessities,” Allen said.
The students are collecting new socks of all sizes, along with hygiene products such as shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, hair bonnets and dental floss. They are especially seeking donations of conditioner, dry shampoo, hair bonnets and socks.
Community members can drop off donations at NorthWestern Energy, State Farm on Dewey Boulevard and Closet Collections. Closet Collections is offering a 15% discount on entire purchases to customers who donate socks or hygiene items from Nov. 2-14. Boxes will be out until November 18th or 19th.
The students will also collect donations at Three Bears Alaska on Nov. 11. Monetary donations are welcome and will be used to purchase additional supplies based on the program's needs.
The response has already been encouraging, with hundreds of pairs of socks, hygiene products and nearly $300 in monetary donations collected.
"This project has taught us to give back when we can," Allen said. "We have the capabilities to do it, and so it feels nice to be able to give back to the children and never take for granted what we can provide."
Reich said the project has also helped raise awareness about Bulldog Outfitters and the resources available to local families.
“I didn’t even know there was this opportunity,” Reich said. “Many people we’ve encountered don’t.”
The students hope community members will continue donating through Nov. 19 to help ensure Butte children have access to the everyday essentials they need to feel comfortable, confident and ready to learn.
“We are very thankful for all the locations that have shared a post, donated, helped us with our flyers,” Vook said. “It has been a tremendous help.”