Winter Drive-By event now taking donations
Published 9:43 am Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Starting today, residents can donate items to assist the homeless and low- to moderate-income families in Calcasieu Parish during the third annual Winter Drive-By event organized by the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Continuum of Care and the Calcasieu Police Jury’s Human Services Department.
Donations will be accepted at several locations throughout the parish until Nov. 10. The items will be handed out 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 13 and 14 at the Allen P. August Senior Annex, 2000 Moeling St.
Umeih Thomas, assistant program coordinator for Continuum of Care, said the event is designed to benefit the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless. Residents can donate items like coats, blankets, nonperishable food items and toiletries.
“Homelessness is an ever-present issue in Calcasieu Parish, and the fact that it’s not well known is what we’re trying to change,” she said. “We want to bring awareness to the community with this event to let people know a homeless individual is not just someone you see sleeping on a park bench.”
Thomas said the event coincides with National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Nov. 16-24. Last year’s donations helped more than 175 households within the parish, she said.
Thomas said there are people registered in a database who will receive the donated items.
She said her office will keep track of how many residents are affected by homelessness after the drive.
“We’re trying to help these individuals have less worries,” Thomas said. “These are things we take for granted.”
Locations accepting donations:
Lake Charles — Billy Navarre, 1310 East College St.; Business and Career Solutions Center, 2424 Third St.; Central Library, 301 W. Claude St.; City Hall, 326 Pujo St.; Magnolia Life Building, 1011 Lakeshore Drive; Mark Dodge, 3777 Gerstner Memorial Drive; Unitech Training Academy, 2827 Fourth Ave.; United Way, 715 Ryan St.
Sulphur — Tarver Ford, 930 N. Beglis Parkway.
Westlake — City Hall, 1001 Mulberry St.; Westlake Library, 937 Mulberry St.
DeQuincy — DeQuincy Library, 102 West Harrison St.
Iowa — Iowa Library, 107 East First St.
Thomas said each location will have labeled donation boxes that residents can use to drop off items.
A list of acceptable items is available at www.cppj.net/winterdrive.
For more information, call 721-4030, ext. 5045 or ext. 5118.
