To help The Giving Spirit promote community awareness about homelessness and provide immediate aid to homeless people in Greater Los Angeles, students packed backpacks filled with feminine hygiene and cosmetic products Nov. 20

The Giving Spirit holds two annual kit-building events in which they make then distribute backpacks filled with supplies to members of the homeless population throughout LA. Organizers Ashley Starr ’18 and Stephanie Vartany ’18 said they decided to host their own kit-building event to help the cause.

Students who participated in the school-sponsored event packed kits designed specifically for women. Starr said that in her experience helping the homeless, feminine issues are often overlooked.

“I hope this event will bring attention to women’s issues,” Starr said. “It is also important to boost the confidence of the women on the streets so they can rebuild their lives and move forward.”

Participants, who packed items into backpacks in an assembly line, said they enjoyed the opportunity to give back to the community.

“The community does so much for us,” participant Skyler Calkins ’20 said. “This is a really nice way to give back, specifically to the women in LA who are often overlooked.”