Highline’s Service and Mentorship Engagement team has organized an ongoing Basic Needs Drive supporting the Refugee Women’s Alliance organization. 

Donations will be accepted from February 13 through March 3, ending at 4 p.m. The donations can be dropped off at several locations on Highline’s campus including: Building 6 near the Women’s Program, Building 8 on the third floor, and in Building 25 on the second floor by the library’s front desk.

SaME (Service and Mentorship Engagement) focuses on three values: affirming identity, building a community, and creating leadership roles for Highline students, Highline’s website said.

“The Service and Mentorship Engagement incorporates student mentorship and service-learning by providing students community engagement activities, one-on-one mentoring, and various student leadership development,” the website also said.

The Refugee Women’s Alliance is based in the Puget Sound area and is a, “…non-profit, multi-ethnic organization that promotes inclusion, independence, personal leadership, and strong communities by providing refugee and immigrant women and their families with culturally and linguistically appropriate services,” the ReWA website said. 

The Basic Donations Drive event is done every year with the same goal of helping the Refugee Women’s Alliance organization with items they may need, SaME member Minarti Sokoy said. 

“We have this event every year,” she said. “Our goals for this event are to collect everything that can help women or families who need [it], introduce this organization to students, we want the students to be part of the community who help each other and know all [the] resources that they have in here.” 

 The Basic Needs Donation flier lists the items it is requesting for donations:

•          Toiletries (Toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, razors, soap, etc.)

•          Diapers, wipes, baby formula

•          Feminine care products

•          Utensils, pots & pans, plates, cups, dish towels

•          Bath towels (new)

•          Bedding and blankets (new)

•          School/office supplies (notebooks, binders, pencils, crayons, glue, calculators, etc.)

Used clothing will not be accepted as a donation, the flier also said. 

Sokoy said no forms are needed to attend and drop off at the donation locations and that anyone can take part in the event. 

For any questions you may reach out to the Service and Mentorship Engagement via email here: Same@highline.edu or you may contact SaME member Minarti Sokoy via email here: msokoy@highline.edu.