In a teal-sized effort to have a positive impact on the Horry County community in the wake of Hurricane Florence and the floods that followed, the office of Civic Engagement at Coastal Carolina University has organized a campuswide donation event that will run from Oct. 2-9.

A truck will be stationed outside the Lib Jackson Student Union on the main Conway campus to accept donations. Several student organizations are hosting donation drives, and the community is welcome to donate items.

The Office of Student Life said that so many student organizations, as well as faculty and staff, were interested in supporting flood victims, they decided to consolidate the efforts to streamline the process.

"The goal is to have everyone collect items and then donate them here," said Jessica Combess, director of student activities and leadership within the Office of Student Life at CCU. "This will ensure that items are going to the correct spot, will get to those in need, and will limit 'drive fatigue,' which often results in few items being donated."

The items collected will be donated to the Waccamaw Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) group, which has been working with Horry County throughout the storm and its aftermath to coordinate volunteer and donation efforts.

Multiple community organizations work as part of VOAD, including the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, Impact Ministries, and others. For more information about VOAD, to volunteer or to request assistance, visit disasterhelp.me.

"It is extremely important to support our community in this time of need," said Amelia Carte, coordinator for civic engagement within the Office of Student Life. "We need to show Conway that we are here to support our neighbors and that we are a part of this community. There is so much kindness and generosity here at CCU; it is only natural that we would step up to help in any way we can."

Only the items below are being collected:

- Toothbrushes

- Toothpaste

- Deodorant

- Soap

- Hand sanitizer

- Shampoo

- Conditioner

- Feminine hygiene products

- Lip balm

- Sunscreen

- Bug spray

- Diapers

- Baby wipes

- Baby powder

- Bleach

- Surface cleaners

- Buckets

- Sponges

- Paper towels

- Disposable masks

- Rubber gloves

- Scrub brushes

- Laundry detergent

- Toilet paper

- Large trash bags

- Clorox wipes

Clothing and food are not being accepted. Donations of those items should be directed to local organizations that collect them year round. Additional drop-off locations for flood relief include Catholic Charities and the Waccamaw VOAD warehouse in Conway.

Questions can be emailed to studentlife@coastal.edu.

Social media:

Twitter: @ccuinvolved

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