Thanks to local support, a nursing student’s philanthropy mission to aid the homeless far exceeded her goals.
Southern Arkansas University senior BSN student Holly Yeager, of El Dorado, is the Projects Manager for the SAU Student Nurses Association. She hoped over the fall semester to complete 100 care packages for the homeless to have this holiday season.
“I initially started out with each bag having a shirt, blanket, and pack of crackers. After gaining local support, I received about $1,000 and am able to serve 150 homeless or needy individuals, including kids, this season,” said Yeager.
Each bag contains deodorant, a fleece blanket, t-shirt, tooth brush, pack of crackers, sanitary wipes, bottle of water, and a personalized card.
Looking back, she said the experience has been so humbling to be able to use her position to rally support and help to be able to give back.
“I could not have made my mission possible without the support and donations from Farmers Bank & Trust, Walter Plumbing, SAPA, McCleane Service, All Smiles Dental, UAMS South in Magnolia, a local daycare, and the SAU nursing students and faculty,” she said. “I am so blessed to help make this happen for our community.”
Other students in the SAU Department of Nursing also held a canned food drive and donated proceeds to the Stew Pot in Magnolia.
“We are all very proud of the work Holly and the other students put forth this semester on helping the homeless and the less fortunate in our area,” said Barbara Hudgens, assistant professor of nursing. “We have a wonderful, good-hearted group of students and faculty and I am proud to work with each one of them.”
