Big Bend ASB Donates Emergency Support Kits to New Hope

MOSES LAKE — Executive Officers for Big Bend Community College’s Associated Student Body (ASB) are tackling community service projects focused on giving back to start out the new year.

On Thursday afternoon, ASB officers and BBCC Director of Student Programs Kim Jackson made a visit to the New Hope Domestic Violence Service Center to donate 100 emergency support kits for the organization to hand out as needed.

Included in the support kits were shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, socks, ponytail holders, hairbrushes, and a towel.

ASB President Marisol Lozano said the group took the idea from an activity they participated in during the Association from the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) conference in Tennessee the students traveled to last year.

One of the presenters at the conference was student leadership trainer David Kelly. In his booth, he was creating similar kits to give to the local women’s shelter. ASB harvested the idea with New Hope in mind and put it into action back at BBCC.

“I love the idea of our student government team getting involved in community service,” Lozano shared. “The idea is that when a person walks into New Hope, the support kits may offer a little bit of help. They contain essential items that are needed by those trying to escape from tough situations. We hope that they will be helpful to those who need them.”

ASB Public Relations Director Sonia Osorio said that she has seen firsthand the important role that New Hope plays in the Moses Lake community.

“I thought it was a humbling experience being able to create the support kit packages that would benefit the victims of domestic violence that New Hope supports,” Osorio said. “My senior year of high school I volunteered at New Hope and I saw the importance of having items ready for victims. I am glad the Associated Student Body had the resources to help.”

The Mission of New Hope is to work with survivors, educators, and community partners in the hopes that together they can put an end to sexual assault and domestic violence.

“I am proud of our students, and of their willingness to help others in their community,” said Jackson. “Our ASB officers set leadership goals early in the year to give back through community service projects and we are working to meet those goals. They have been a great group to work with.”

ASB Executive Officers include: Lozano, president; Ricardo Ruiz, vice president; Osorio, public relations officer; Cydney Schaapman, secretary; Marmolejo, treasurer; and Reid Jackson, programming director.

“It feels good knowing that ASB is going to make a difference in someone’s life,” said Marmolejo. “To a person not going through this type of struggle, the Support Kit might just be a bag full of random items, but to a person in need that support kit could be the sign of hope that they were looking for.”

The ASB will continue their mission next week as they have organized a campus-wide blood drive with the Inland Northwest Blood Center Jan. 16.