DeKALB — Huskies Care and Serve is a volunteer program run by the Campus Activities Board (CAB) that allows students to work on projects that give back to the NIU and DeKalb communities.

Tuesday’s event allowed students to fill bags with necessities like deodorant, disposable face masks and tissues to donate to the homeless and those with insecure housing. 

“We like to give back to the community, so I see where (things) are being needed, and (plan events to meet those needs),” said Haransa Hernandez, sophomore early childhood education major and CAB chair of daytime programming and crafts.

Unlike other clubs and organizations, students do not have to sign up to participate in activities or projects run by the Campus Activities Board. This includes Huskies Care and Serve.  

“We just (thought) ‘what can we do to give back to the community?’” Hernandez said. “We have a homeless community here in DeKalb, why don’t we just donate some bags for them?’” 

The Huskies Care and Serve projects take place on the first and third Tuesday of every month in the Holmes Student Center from noon to 2 p.m. 

Every two weeks, the event held by the Huskies Care and Serve project gives students the opportunity to help the community in a different way. For example, the Huskies Care and Serve initiative previously held an event that allowed students to create reusable bags to donate to the food pantry. 

“(We’re always thinking) of ideas for any Huskies Care and Serve events, any way we can give back to the community, and that was just one way,” Hernandez said about donating necessities to the homeless.

According to the Campus Activities Board profile on Huskie Link, the purpose of the organization is to give students the opportunity to be involved with student life, as well as the larger NIU community. It also provides opportunities to respond to the needs of the community through its programming.  

“(We’re in) a position where we can help the homeless or the less fortunate,” said Tayveun Williams, a junior marketing major and the chair of Huskies After Dark on the Campus Activities Board. “It just shows that CAB really cares, or the people that come over and help, (it shows) that they really care.”

Hernandez said that since this project is open to all students, the motivation for students to participate is the desire to give back to the community. 

“I feel like this event will help put a spotlight on (the fact that) Huskies care,” Williams said. “It will unite people, showing that we are kind and that we just need to help each other out.”