Caldwell University Alum Launches Clothing Drive

CALDWELL, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Patch Caldwell community member Naissa Piverger, a former student at Caldwell University who has launched a clothing drive. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here.

Can you tell me a little more about the clothing drive?

• The clothing drive is a continuation of my shoe drive that I started in undergrad at Caldwell University and originally began as a result of Hurricane Matthew and the 2010 earthquake that impacted the residents of my native country, Haiti. This is a year-long clothing drive — meaning it really has no end because once 2019 begins, I will be collecting more for other countries. Many generous individuals have offered more than shoes such as toys, notebooks, kitchen items, and etc. These are all accepted! You know, I'd like for people to know that there are millions of individuals in the world who are in worse conditions than we are any time and offering any help out is a great way to start.

Are the same donation boxes in the same locations as last year? How many boxes are out total?

• The boxes are not in the same location and there is a definitive amount of boxes being collected. I am currently collecting the donations at Icahn School of Medicine— where I currently study.

Where/when can people make drop offs?

• At the moment, the drop off location is in NYC. However, for those residing in NJ, they can contact me prior to donating that way we can arrange a pickup.

What # or email can people contact for more information?

• Individuals who are interested in donating can text 973-204-5381 or email naissapiverger@gmail.com

When will it end?

• This is a year-long clothing drive. Technically, it would end in the year 2019. However, donations are continuously being collected at any time.

Where will the clothes/shoes end up?

• All donations collected would be evenly distributed by an international organization I am working within Haiti and a variety of different countries, including India. We will ship the donations via barrels and boxes.

Why are you collecting these donations?

• Volunteering and being of service to others is something I was always passionate about since I was a child. My passion grew deeper as I became more exposed to the medical field and learning about the different kinds of diseases people were at risk for nothing having shoes and clothes— the basic necessities in addition to food and water. In life, you learn that many people, if not everyone, encounter issues that are not their fault or are beyond their ability to change or avoid. I think that as humans beings and social animals, the best way for mankind to advance is by helping those who are unable to help themselves. Growing up, I was frequently told that people have a responsibility to care for other people and that is to help those less fortunate than ourselves. If opportunities such as these exist, why not help out?

What do you do at Mount Sinai?

• I am currently a 2nd year MPH student and aspiring medical student at Mount Sinai. In addition to this, I am a clinical research coordinator where I do research on infant mortality and maternal morbidities.

Did you enjoy your time at Caldwell University?

• I did enjoy my time at Caldwell! I was able to form relationships with colleagues, students, and mentors within and outside of the Caldwell community. I wanted to thank the community again for all of the support I received for my shoe drive!

Also, when did you start your foundation? (The foundation has been canceled and will resume at a later day but I'd like for you to mention that I will be starting it)

• I intend on starting a foundation named "Small Steps to Recovery" in the near future. Small Steps to Recovery is a student-run organization managed by Naissa Piverger, a current MPH and aspiring medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai as well as Arsha Chacko, an MPH student at Georgia Southern University. As public health professionals and through our times spent studying and working in the field of public health, it has always been a passion of ours to not only give back to our community but to our countries. More often than not, minor catastrophic issues go unnoticed or are completely unheard of while the death toll continues to increase by the hour. By constructing this organization, we started to realize how involved and the important role that public health daily plays in the lives of individuals. We realized this through a variety of current issues and a myriad of experiences dealing with global health. From the historic Spanish Flu pandemic, Japan monsoon and mudslides, Cholera Epidemic, 2010 earthquake and endless hurricane impacts on Haiti, Puerto Rico, and various other countries, we not only aim at ensuring that natural disasters are at the attention of the public but to serve as a support system for those impacted. Small Steps to Recovery aims to shed light on current public health, incubate innovative initiatives locally and most importantly globally for those who may lack the resources needed. One of our goals is to continue to assist in improving public health and (hopefully by some miracle) increase the lifespan of others. Also, our other goal is to become a 501 (c)(3) recognized organization with the help of local organizations and healthcare professionals. Once the foundation expands, it will offer more services where individuals may attend future symposiums, even apply for grants, and any upcoming events and would love to partner up with other organizations whose work aligns with our goals.

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Photos courtesy of Naissa Piverger