Even though it’s located at Bryan Collegiate High School, Hope's Locker is open to all Bryan ISD students, faculty, staff, and their families.
The Project Hope Coordinator for Bryan ISD, Meagan Meekma, is anticipating several hundred community members this school year.
Meekma shares a little bit about what Hope’s Locker does for those in need.
"Our office is tasked with identifying and verifying our homeless students in the district," said Meekma. "So that we can just make sure that they’re aware and utilize additional services that we can offer them as well as we are housed with Hope’s Locker. It’s a clothing closet, it’s a food pantry, and it’s something they can come and utilize once a month."
Appointments are 20 minutes long to allow for as many Bryan ISD community members to visit as possible on a daily basis. They have anything you might need, like several types of hygiene products, a variety of shoes, different styles of clothing, and non-perishable food items.
Meekma shares her gratitude for the community members that either donate their time, money, or efforts to the cause.
“We’re really blessed to have a lot of community support and so we have some consistent donors that typically come to us at the beginning of the school year as well as throughout the year," said Meekma.
The Bryan College Station Realty Gives Back Committee is one of those consistent donors. The Co-Chairs express what it means to them to be part of a committee that is invested in volunteering and helping out those across the Brazos Valley.
Paige Naumann, who is from the area, expresses how it has felt like a full-circle moment for her.
“I’m a hometown kid, so I was born and raised in Bryan-College Station and so nothing brings me more joy than now being able to give back to the community that got me to where I am now," said Naumann. "Now to be able to provide that to the entire community who don’t have that privilege or ability, it’s such a gift to us."
Gini Howerton said to her, that seeing the faces and reactions of the families and those running the program are priceless.
“I think for me, the reason why I love doing this, when we get to bring new shoes up there, when we get to hand over the check, when we get to call them and say 'Hey we have this for you,' when we get to volunteer our time to help these families, it just brings about so much a great sense of community and love for one another," said Howerton.
And I think in a time where we all feel we are a little bit disconnected from humanity, it shows us the good is still out there."
Throughout this school year, there are monthly requests for specific items to be donated. They will be announced at a later date.
Anyone can either drop them off at Project Hope or the Administrative Building.
On Saturday, the Bryan College Station Realty Gives Back Committee is also hosting a Cornhole Tournament. A portion of the proceeds will go towards Hope's Locker. It's their biggest event of the year.