Students and staff from the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing are collecting non-prescription and over-the-counter medications, medical supplies and other items for a mission trip to Haiti. The trip will be from March 10 through March 16.
The trip is a course option to study transcultural nursing. The trip assists students in ways to recognize, understand and appreciate cultural similarities and differences between individuals seeking medical care in the United States and in Haiti.
The medications that are taken for granted in the U.S. are the medications most desperately needed in Haiti. The group needs the following items:
- Children's chewable vitamins (no gummies)
- Over the counter medication (including but not limited to Tums, Tylenol, Benadryl, antibiotic cream, athletes foot cream, Selsun blue shampoo, any first aid supply, etc.)
- Allergy cream
In addition to the medical items, students address basic needs of the orphan population. The following donations are also needed to meet this need:
- All school supplies including but not limited to: notebooks, black pens, pencils, binders, backpacks, folders, chalk (not sidewalk), coloring books, markers, crayons, colored pencils or any craft/art supplies.
- Twin sheet sets
- Plastic mattress covers (to protect from urine and elements)
- Any shoe size, gently used or new
- Monetary donations to buy items most needed while packing and baggage fees
- Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, bar soap, body wash, Vaseline, etc.)
- Feminine products, pads (no tampons)
- Jump ropes
- Sidewalk chalk
The goal of the supply drive is to have enough medication to give each person at least 90 days (3 months’ worth). For example, to meet the goal for children’s vitamins, the group would need 300 bottles of 90 tablets. Cash donations are also accepted; checks should be made payable to St. Elizabeth School of Nursing – Student Haiti Mission and sent to the school at 1501 Hartford St., Lafayette, IN 47904. All donations must be received by Wednesday, Feb. 28.
For more information or to arrange a donation pickup, please contact Andrea Blissitt at (765) 423-6525.