In honor of “Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week,” Tamika Burton, Hunger and Homelessness coordinator for UMB MassPIRG, organized an essential clothing drive for Boston’s less fortunate. All those huge cardboard donation boxes planted around campus filled an entire, donated, UHaul truck with winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves, skirts and pants.

“It was an awesome success,” expressed Juliette Lee, campus organizer for MassPIRG. Lee, who helps students organize their public concerns, tallied up the heaps of clothing and awarded the Haitian/ American Society with a $150 check (donated by the local YMCA) for collecting the most clothing. Supplying the food for the aftermath festivities, along with Burton Associates, was Wits End Café.

Success would not have been so complete without the help of other UMB groups, such as the Women’s Center, Veteran Student Union, Queer Student Union, Asian Student Union, Casa Latina, Black Student Union, the Student Senate, Golden Key and ARMS.

“The homeless and hungry issue of Boston is an enormous problem,” stated Lee, “It’s extremely important to develop more advocacy and awareness.”

The clothing has been dropped off and distributed at the Long Island Shelter in Quincy. The Long Island Shelter is a relief shelter for men, women and children that supplies 850 beds for the homeless every night of the year.

This was the first time that MassPIRG applied their energy towards a clothing drive for “Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.” Last year they held a “Trick or Treat” in order to feed those unable to buy food. Lee says catching people in the season of giving is more feasible than trying to run a clothing drive all winter long. “Besides,” she says, “we are extremely busy with four other campaigns this semester.”

Lee noted that she was “extremely impressed with Burton’s leadership and determination” and added, “I think all are thankful and impressed with MassPIRG and UMB in general for supporting and organizing such energy and inspiration towards important public causes and concerns.” Look for other MassPIRG campaigns this semester to get organic foods on campus, legislation passed to protect our public lands, a voter registration drive and the Neponset River cleanup with UMB WaterWatch.