FCHS Interact Club Hosting Clothing Drive

The Fluvanna County High School Interact Club is hosting a clothing drive for the SHE Shelter and Afghan refugees. The SHE Shelter is a shelter/community for women and children who are victims of domestic violence; the shelter provides a safe, respectful, and confidential environment for those in need.

The shelter has 16 positions and 22 full-time workers and roughly 5,000 volunteer hours a year. They provide service for 400 victims annually. The shelter was established in 1979 has evolved ever since, giving comfort and strength to those in need.

The Interact Club started this drive to help provide winter clothes for those who need them in the cold months this year. “The clothing drive would hopefully provide winter clothes to get through the colder months ahead,” said history teacher Mark Engel. “The clothing drive was introduced to me by a concerned student.  She researched who was being impacted and where the best place would be to help out,” he adds.

Engel and the Interact Club wanted to contribute to the cause that a service group out of UVA host. “Muslims United is a community service group; they wanted to support the refugees; therefore, we are contributing to their collection event,” said Engel.

Muslims United aims to create a space to empower the Muslim folx to connect with them through faith and resisting systems of oppression. Their mission is to develop a community of healing, mutual support, and fighting for justice. Some drives have been having issues due to the pandemic.

“This past year was tough due to the pandemic, but hopefully, we will be back to normal and back out in the community again soon,” commented Engel. “Students today have a strong sense for community service, and the Interact club tends to draw out the desire to help where needed.  Our club has always been student-driven, and since they direct the programs we participate in, oftentimes we get a good turnout,” he added.