RBHS Global Issues Club is hosting a “Merry Christmas” donation drive until Dec. 21. 

Items will be dropped off in buckets located near the Activities Office and North Commons. All donations from the drive will be donated to City of Refuge, a local non-profit organization that aims to help refugees in mid-Missouri recover and regain control of their lives. 

RBHS Co-President of Global Issues Sophia Li said the club chose City of Refuge because of its mission to serve refugees in the community. Li said the goal of the drive is to support the organization by providing supplies and encouraging students to donate during the holiday season.

“[Global Issues’] mission is to support the community by targeting specific issues through unique service projects,” Li said. “City of Refuge presents a great opportunity for us to generate holiday spirit and incorporate [RBHS] into our mission to better the lives of others.”

“City of Refuge [has] grown in our capacity to serve refugees who [have] resettled in the Columbia area in proportion to [how] the generosity of our community has grown,” Szy said. “Columbia punches above its weight in [caring] for refugees, and donations are just one example of the ways we see people give their time, talent and treasure.”

City of Refuge also accepts financial donations, which allow refugee care coordinators to aid new local families in need. Additionally, they welcome in-kind donations, such as the new and gently used goods the Global Issues drive is currently seeking. 

Four donation tubs have been set up around the Activities Office and North Commons and will remain there until Dec. 21. Szy said the most needed items are necessities like shampoo, laundry detergent pods, toilet paper and over-the-counter medicines. The drive is also looking for clothing, toys, books and household items.

In addition to donations, City of Refuge can be supported through volunteer opportunities, which include programs such as “Homework Helpers,” the “English Buddy program,” and the “Youth Impact Group.” In future Global Issues projects, Li said she hopes to incorporate similar aspects of volunteering, whether it be at local institutions or through community service.

“We are still brainstorming; some unique ideas [include] hosting a recycling contest at school and planting trees around Columbia,” Li said. “As for the [donation] drive, we’re aiming for at least one per school year.”

Will you be donating to the drive? Let us know in the comments below.