WVU School of Nursing to host donation drive for MUSHROOM during Diversity Week 2023
During Diversity Week 2023 at West Virginia University, Sept. 17-23, the WVU School of Nursing will collect supplies to support the efforts of MUSHROOM (Multidisciplinary UnSheltered Homeless Relief Outreach of Morgantown).
MUSHROOM is an interdisciplinary effort, bringing together medical, nursing, dental, social work and other health professional volunteers on "street rounds." Volunteers go to the places where they are needed most to reach individuals experiencing homelessness to offer the basics of care, including food, water, clothing and basic medical intervention.
The WVU School of Nursing’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee has titled their Diversity Week project, “Helping People Help People: Caring for Our Community Experiencing Homelessness,” which was inspired by MUSHROOM’s list of items in demand.
The week’s donation drive schedule is as follows:
- Monday: Medical Supplies (Band-Aids; gauze; over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen; gloves)
- Tuesday: Toboggans, gloves or scarves
- Wednesday: Wardrobe (underwear, socks, sweatpants and sweatshirts)
- Thursday: Thermal (clothing, handwarmers or footwarmers)
- Friday: Freeform (any of the previously listed items or any of the following: travel-sized items, such as hand sanitizer, lotion, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes and umbrellas)
The drop-off location for the Morgantown Campus will be in Health Sciences South on the 6th Floor in the Dean's Suite. Other School of Nursing campuses will participate in the donation drives for charitable organizations in their respective communities, with Beckley supporting Wellspring, Charleston supporting Covenant House, and Keyser supporting Union Mission. Please contact the campus chair at each location for drop-off information.
A friendly competition among the sophomores, juniors and seniors will be held on each campus to see who can collect the most items for their selected organization. To show your support of the event, please use the hashtag #WVUNursingCares on social media.
To show their support for Diversity Week, our Bridgeport Campus students volunteered Sept. 14 during the annual Save a Life Day in Harrison and Randolph counties, where they distributed Narcan to residents and provide training on usage to potentially save lives during an overdose.
To kick-off Diversity Week, the WVU School of Nursing will host a Breakfast & Learn session on Monday, Sept. 18, at 8 a.m. both in-person in the Dean’s Suite for on-site faculty and virtually via Zoom for faculty on our other campuses. The session, “Diversity Week & Health Equity,” will be led by Dr. Kendra Barker. Please register online to receive Zoom information.
Additionally, two recent WVU School of Nursing graduates — Ateria Walker and Kali Fischer — will host a presentation about ethnic hair on Thursday, Sept. 21 from 4 to 5 p.m. via Zoom. They will discuss the importance of not discriminating against patients and healthcare workers with natural hair and hair products provided in healthcare facilities.
To see a full schedule of events, visit diversity.wvu.edu.
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CONTACT: Wendy Holdren
Director of Communications and Marketing
WVU School of Nursing
304-581-1772; wendy.holdren@hsc.wvu.edu