When Emily Bishop saw a need in the community, she knew it was one she wanted to help meet.
Emily, a simulationist with the University of Colorado College of Nursing at Anschutz Medical Campus and a member of the campus staff council, recently organized an incontinence care drive benefiting Catholic Charities. After a month of collecting supplies across the Anschutz Medical Campus, Emily and her friend delivered the donations to the Catholic Charities Samaritan House warehouse.
For Emily, the idea for the drive came from years of seeing firsthand how important—and costly—incontinence products can be.
“I have worked in long term care skilled nursing for about 16 years now and I’ve noticed that incontinence supplies are so expensive and that’s the number one thing that people really do need because they’re one time use,” Emily said.
The drive collected a wide range of essential items, including adult incontinence products for men and women, personal and bath wipes, barrier cream, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and menstrual pads and liners.
Collection bins were placed throughout seven buildings on the Anschutz Medical Campus, including education buildings, academic offices, research buildings and Fitzsimons. The response from staff quickly exceeded Emily’s expectations.
“There were times where I had to empty these bins like more than once a week because they were just completely overflowing,” Emily said.
The strong response reflected a campus community eager to support its neighbors. Emily said the Staff Council brings together employees who support the many different medical and academic areas across the Anschutz campus.
“We’re a big melting pot basically so all of the staff that supports those different buildings, we come together,” Emily said. “I’m with the campus and community engagement sector basically what we do is we just give back to the community.”
Emily wasn’t alone when it came time to bring the collected supplies to Samaritan House. Her best friend, Katie, who also serves on the Anschutz Staff Council, joined her to help deliver the donations and volunteer.
From overflowing collection bins to a delivery of much-needed supplies, the drive demonstrated what can happen when people come together around a practical need. For Emily and her colleagues at CU Anschutz, it was an opportunity to turn their commitment to community engagement into tangible support for neighbors served by Catholic Charities.
Inspired to organize a drive of your own? Catholic Charities welcomes donations of new, packaged undergarments and hygiene essentials for the women, men and families who call Samaritan House home. Through the Women’s Care Project and other donation drives, families, parishes, schools and businesses can come together to collect items that help our neighbors feel clean, comfortable and cared for. Learn more about current needs and how to organize a drive at ccdenver.org/donation-drives or contact parish@ccdenver.org.