UNCG Student Helps the Homeless
Melissa Donnell helps the homeless
GREENSBORO, N.C. — A few times a week, Melissa Donnell spends about 15 to 20 minutes unloading the back seat of her car.
It’s normally packed with boxes and bags filled with the basics.
“Wipes, razors, Q-tips, anything you can think that you would need on a daily basis,” Donnell, a student at UNCG, said.
They all go into duffle bags called “care packs.”
Since September, Donnell has delivered between 15 to 20 care packs to homeless men and women throughout Guilford County.
It’s a project that started as a class assignment but within months became her calling.
“I wanted to be able to give back and help those that are in need just like I was,” Donnell said.
For six months, Donnell was homeless. She and her two year old daughter moved around, staying in different churches.
“They would provide dinner and a bed for us to sleep in,” she said.
It’s a dark moment in her life she’s helping others get through with the Care Pack Project.
Through donations, Donnell provides the homeless with clothes, shoes, food but mostly compassion.
“Letting them know that there’s somebody out there that’s willing to listen to them, that’s not there to judge,” she said.
In Guilford County, about 850 people are considered homeless.
It’s a need Donnell hopes she can help meet one bag at a time.
“It’s been a very rewarding situation,” she said.
Donations can be taken to the three following drop-off locations:
- Brian Doby Shell Garage in Burlington
- Lawrence Transportation in Greensboro
- UNCG Department of Sociology
For more information, visit carepackproject.com.
Reposted from Fox 8 News
