The four Grande Prairie area Rotary Clubs, in partnership with the Rotaract Club, will be holding a pair of what they are calling reverse dignity drives.
The group has teamed up to collect new and unused underwear and socks for the more vulnerable members of the Grande Prairie community. However, the donation drive comes with a twist, the “reverse” in the reverse dignity drive will come in the form of a contact-free, drive-thru donation drive.
Heather Jones with the Swan City Rotary Club says access to items like clean underwear and socks can be something many people take for granted but believes they are essential for comfort, health, and hygiene, especially for those transitioning out of the street-engaged population.
“It’s just to give them that sense of value and dignity, confidence and motivation to aspire,” she adds.
Jones says while the need for both items is high for several agencies in the city, including Rotary House, socks and underwear usually fall between the cracks when it comes to being top-of-mind donation items.
“It’s not something you go and guy to donate, you’re [usually] donating clothes out of your closet,” she says.
“When we are out shopping and they have the food bank bins, we are thinking just bank items, non-perishable items, we never think let’s get a pack socks, or a pack of underwear in there too.”
The reverse dignity drives will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 17th and 30th in the parking lot of Centre 2000. Those looking to participate will simply drive up, pop the trunk, and volunteers will take the donations directly from there.