From Matthew J. Drat ’84
Development and Community Relations Manager,
Home Sweet Home Ministries

Even though May Term is not yet complete, Home Sweet Home Ministries is again pleased to share the results of our textile recycling program on the IWU campus. The program, in its third year, places collection containers at various locations on campus where students, faculty and staff can drop off their textiles (clothing, etc) and then Home Sweet Home’s HSHRenew program repurposes those items. The resource dollars generated by HSHRenew supports individuals struggling with homelessness and poverty via the services at Home Sweet Home Ministries.

For this school year, HSHRenew at Home Sweet Home Ministries collected nearly 5,000 pounds of textiles on the campus of IWU. That is a tremendous impact on the environment and on the men, women and children at Home Sweet Home. For example, the resources generated can help pay for any entire day of meals at our soup kitchen, meals that affect not only the body, but the mind and spirit as well.

As an alumnus of IWU (Class of ’84) I am particularly happy to see how my alma mater is engaging our local community AND changing lives of our neighbors.