Mount’s Desmond Center Hosts Coat Giveaway

The Mount’s Desmond Center hosted a coat, clothing, and care kit giveaway on February 4. The Desmond Center will be moving into its new home in the newly renovated Guzman Hall later this semester. Photo: Lee Ferris.
The Mount’s Desmond Center hosted a coat, clothing, and care kit giveaway on February 4. The Desmond Center will be moving into its new home in the newly renovated Guzman Hall later this semester. Photo: Lee Ferris.

NEWBURGH – Mount Saint Mary College’s Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness partnered with Melanin Unchained, a local grassroots organization, to host a coat and clothing item giveaway for Newburgh residents on Saturday, February 4.

Items were collected over the course of three weeks from faculty, staff, and students at the college, and from community members at the Newburgh Armory Unity Centers.

Ashley Collazo, program coordinator at the Desmond Center, said that the event was organized after recognizing a need in the community.

“A lot of these kinds of events will be hosted ahead of the holidays,” she said, “but there’s still an ongoing need during these colder winter months after the buzz of the holidays dies down.”

For events like this, Collazo emphasized the importance of messaging through community outreach to get information to those in need. Earlier in the week, Collazo and her team had dropped off flyers to local businesses and community members, while also using social media content to spread awareness of this event.

Community members were also able to pick up care kits with useful household items, which were put together by Mount students. The service project was organized by Kristopher Kremsner, a Residence Director at the college.

Ashley Napolitano of Williston Park, N.Y., a junior healthcare management major at the Mount, also helped organize this event. Napolitano will start an internship at the Desmond Center soon this spring, which she says will help her pursue her passion to “help many communities, starting here in Newburgh.”

The Desmond Center provides wellness and educational services for underserved individuals and families. The center offers accessible and equitable educational, health, and wellness services for community members and families in the local area. All services are free of cost and open to the community.

For more information on upcoming Desmond Center events that are free and open to the public, visit msmc.edu/desmond

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