Cal Poly Clothing Drive Seeks New Winter Gear for Homeless

SAN LUIS OBISPO – A winter clothing drive sponsored by Cal Poly public speaking students will benefit the Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter, a nonprofit agency that provides a safety net for many of the area’s homeless population.

Students heading the project seek the following new items for the homeless community: warm jackets, socks, gloves, single-bed blankets and sleeping bags.

On-campus donations may be dropped off at the UU beginning Monday, Nov. 27, through Thursday, Nov. 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Coast BMW Nissan will serve as an off-campus drop-off site during that week, as will the San Luis Obispo Farmers’ Market on Thursday,
Nov. 30.

To make a monetary donation, bring checks made payable to the Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter to any of the donation sites or mail to: Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter, 750 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401.

The need for homeless services is daunting: Nearly 2,500 people are homeless in the county; nearly 500 live in San Luis Obispo. The shelter’s 49-bed facility operates exclusively during the evening hours, with an additional 29 beds available through an interfaith coalition.

Service learning courses provide Cal Poly students the opportunity to participate in the community through a variety of public-service learning projects and initiatives.

For more information on how to donate or volunteer, call (805) 781-3993 or visit www.volunteerslo.org.

###