Environmental Club Hosts Winter Clothing Drive

By: Julia Xia, Opinions Editor

This Holiday season, it is important to not only have fun celebrating with your families but also to give back to your community. One way to give back is by donating items you no longer need to families and individuals who are in need. 

Over the years, Mills High School’s classes and clubs have held donations and drives for those who need them, such as Mr. Lira’s canned food drive. This year, the Environmental Club has joined in the effort and hosted a winter clothing drive.

Partnered with Aragon High School’s Environmental Club, the Mills Environmental Club asked for any winter clothing to be donated to unhoused people. The organization that the two clubs teamed up with is Lifemoves, an environmental organization that strives to end homelessness in America while being environmentally conscious.

The goal of this drive was not only to provide the unhoused with some warm clothes for the harsh months ahead but also to spread awareness on the current climate crisis. Alauki Parikh (12), president of the Environmental Club, commented, “We wanted to tell people how these stops have the greatest impact on the homeless community.”Parikh added, “We chose to partner with Aragon since they shared our passion for helping out the community.”

Recently, California has experienced strong winds and other extreme weather changes, changes that can be traced back to climate change. As the days grow colder and darker, many unhoused individuals have been forced outside into freezing temperatures. Without shelter to keep them warm, they need as many layers as possible to withstand the harsh weather. 

One large donor was the club’s very own Emma Pham (12), one of the vice-presidents of the club. “My family had a lot of old jackets, ponchos, and umbrellas that we either grew out of or just didn’t want anymore. I felt like it was just the right thing to do: donate the stuff I no longer needed to help out another person.” Emma recounts. 

In total, both clubs were able to get around 35 donations. All these clothes will be sent to Lifemoves to be given to anyone who needs them this season. “We in the environmental club advocate for sustainability; we wanted to find a way to help out the community in a sustainable, environmentally friendly manner. The clothing drive was one way we managed to do that, and I’m excited to plan future events like this one.” Alauki concludes.