From June 1 – 13, the Bellevue College Helping Hands Club is hosting a bed and bedding drive, an event that aims to help the homeless by providing them with beds and bedding materials.
The club is looking to Bellevue College to participate in the drive and donate materials. BC Helping Hands will be donating all proceeds to the Friends of Youth in Renton, a nonprofit shelter for young homeless men and women from ages 18 to 24.
Currently, the shelter has a capacity for 20 beds. The BC Helping Hands Club “can be sure that each piece of bedding donated will contribute to helping fill the maximum housing capacity at Friends of Youth,” said BCHH Co-President Eleosa Chong.
Chong and Zainab Hussaini founded the Helping Hands club in fall quarter 2014. The club originally came together “to aid organizations and causes most needy in the Eastside community,” said Chong. Hussaini refers to the club’s actions as “a duty to provide help and hope in the community with our abilities.”
“Helping Hands has been the most active this school year out of all the other clubs that I have been a part of,” said club adviser Sabrina Sanchez. According to Sanchez, the organization began with a group of friends and the club grew as more friends joined in.
“I have a feeling that several club members were friends before they started the club, and are even closer friends now because of their work together in the club,” explained Sanchez.
The bed and bedding drive began when program manager Joe Wolley from the Friends of Youth organization contacted the Helping Hands Club.
“Everyone was filled with excitement and passion. We were very happy that the community reached out to us, because that’s what we are here for,” said Hussaini.
Prior to the drive, the Friends of Youth organization was turning away three to five young adults every night. Every piece of bedding donated will go to the Friends of Youth organization.
“The Helping Hands club has a productive track record,” said Chong.
In the past, the club has helped Northwest Harvest, Tent City, Eastside Baby Corner and Cocoon House. Chong and Hussaini hope to do more events in the future that benefit the community. They plan on holding bake sales in the future and more donation drives.
There are bins around campus to drop off bedding supplies, which will be delivered by Helping Hands members to the Friends of Youth organization.