BY LEAH PALMER

Toothbrushes, razors, socks and canned food.

For the first time ever, the Honors Ambassadors is collecting toiletry items for the Gainesville homeless until March 16, said Corie Evans, an Honors Ambassador and the co-chair for Honors Giving Hope. Evans said the group is collecting items for the service project in the Honors Program office and in the lobby of Hume Hall.

“The critical aspect of this project is donation,” Evans said.

Honors Ambassadors plan to take the items collected and assemble care kits in gallon Ziploc bags, which will be distributed in conjunction with Project Downtown, an organization that distributes meals to the homeless on the weekends, on March 24.

This project, though directed towards the homeless, will also be instrumental in connecting students with their community and fostering compassion for the homeless in Gainesville, said Hannah Lyons, an Honors Ambassador and the co-chair for the project.

Honors Ambassador Claren Anderson came up with the idea in high school but wasn’t able to implement it. The Honors Program has been able to transform her idea into “more of a concerted service event,” Lyons said.

Evans said the project brings together individuals and helps the homeless in a tangible and sustainable way.

“(Anderson) wanted to sort of reduce the awkward barrier between helping homeless people,” Evans said.

Evans said Honors students should get involved and donate to have a direct effect on the homelessness problem in Gainesville.

“We’re kind of trying to bring the Honors community together in it,” she said.

Check out the list of items Honors Ambassadors are collection below: