They made hand-tied blankets and assembled toiletry kits throughout last month. As Columbus House serves those struggling with homelessness, all these items are constantly in demand.

With donations and funding from the Office of Community Engagement at Quinnipiac, they assembled nine blankets and 30 toiletry kits, each of which contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and a razor.

“Since Columbus House predominantly serves minorities including African-Americans and Latinos, we wanted to donate to the under-served populations in Hamden to maximize our community service impact,” said Andres Ariza, ’23.

“We hope to make a lasting impact, not only on their physical wellbeing but their mental health as well," he said. "Our goal was to be able to reassure them that Quinnipiac students care about their wellbeing and are willing to help them.”