By Zach Waltz
Assistant Sports Editor
The Student Government Association (SGA) will be pairing up with the Olean Food Pantry for a diaper drive. The diaper drive began on Wednesday and will end Tuesday, Oct. 1.
Michelle Schram, a member of the Olean Food Pantry Board and St. Bonaventure alumnus, said the Diaper Bank of Olean began as a subdivision of the Olean Food Pantry as a way to help meet the needs of parents who are unable to pay for a child’s necessities.
“A new project through the Olean Food Pantry was started to help families that already utilize the pantry services to be able to get hygiene items that are, in fact, essential for family with infants and children,” Schram said. “The project had its first diaper drive in February where three locations teamed up to collect hygiene items necessary for baby diaper needs. Through this effort, and in partnership with the Olean Food Pantry, these institutions contributed more than 4,500 diapers, 650 hygiene items and $250 and the Diaper Bank of Olean was born.”
Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Board President Cody Clifford said the pairing with the Olean Food Pantry is beneficial for both parties.
“I think by doing this drive, we can help out this chapter of the Olean Food Pantry,” Clifford said. “This community has a need for these types of items such as diapers, baby lotion, shampoo and baby wipes. Hopefully, we can exceed our goals and give back to the community. I feel as if these items are generally not thought of, especially for how expensive they are.”
Schram said the need for these items in this area is greater than she had originally anticipated.
“While we were unsure how great the need was, we were aware that it was present,” Schram said. “Since April, when the collected items started to be distributed, the food pantry was able to provide our clients with more than 8,300 diapers; however, the need is growing steadily and the St. Bonaventure community’s help is crucial for us to be able to provide these necessities to our clients.”
Schram also emphasized the importance of the SGA’s role in helping her reach her goal. The sophomore and junior class officers are in charge of the project and have been working with Schram to collect as many donations as possible. The class officers set up a table in the Reilly Center to collect donations.
“The SGA has been instrumental in organizing the week-long event on campus by selling footballs and pumpkins for $1,” Schram said. “In addition, there will be a table set up at Bonagany where there are five different raffles available to win: SBU gear, Greater Olean Area Chamber Gift Certificates, Carmike movie pack, a Cutco snack pack and other local company gift certificates. Tickets can be purchased at Bonagany on Saturday, Sept. 28.”
Clifford said the SGA also has a few goals it would like to accomplish through its participation in the diaper drive.
“There are a few purposes for the diaper drive,” Clifford said. “To help get awareness in the Bonaventure and Olean community for the lack of diapers and necessities for babies, to create a relationship between the SBU SGA and Olean Food Pantry and to help kick off SGA’s next community service event in October.”
Schram says the ultimate goal is to have the diaper bank full enough to fill the demands for an anticipated holiday rush.
“I am hoping that through the generosity of the SBU family, we can raise items and monetary donations to ensure the shelves are stocked as we approach the holiday season,” Schram said. “No family should have to make the decision of leaving their child in a diaper for an extended period of time or not being able to work because the daycare center does not provide these items. While there are programs available to help such as WIC (Women’s, Infants, and Children), diapers, wipes, shampoo, etc. are considered “luxuries” and are not able to be funded with these programs.”
