ACC Joins Efforts to Aid Residents of West

The Austin Community College chapter of Circle K International (CKI) is teaming with CKI chapters from the University of Texas at Austin and other universities to raise funds and collect donations for the community of West, devastated by the explosion of a fertilizer plant on April 17.

The student service clubs will host the donation drive Sunday, April 21, at the Walmart Supercenter in the Southpark Meadows shopping center in south Austin (9300 S. I-35). The students will have tables at each entrance to accept donations between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

“CKI is all about community service and inspiring others to give back, so we wanted to jump in right away to do something to help the residents of West,” said Marcelo Urieta-Bravo, president of the ACC chapter of CKI. “We have students coming in from all over Texas and Oklahoma to help.”

In addition to monetary donations, specific items requested are:

  • Personal hygiene items
  • Non-perishable food
  • Pet supplies
  • Baby/infant care items
  • Grab and go snack items (such as granola bars or sports drinks) for victims and first responders
  • First aid supplies
  • New undergarments and socks, etc.

Items will be assembled into care packages. Monetary donations will be forwarded to the West Explosion Victims Fund in care of Pointwest Bank in West.

In addition to ACC and UT-Austin CKI chapters, participants in the donation drive include students from Southwestern University, the University of Texas at Brownsville, West Texas A&M University, and Oklahoma State University.

“As soon as the students found out about the explosion, they said they wanted to help,” said Angela Robertson, ACC Student Life coordinator and CKI advisor. “All of these students have a true heart for service.”

View the CKI chapter’s Facebook page for more information, or contact Robertson at 223.8233, or [email protected].

CKI is affiliated with Kiwanis International, a global service organization. Click here to learn more about the ACC chapter of CKI.

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