Gainesville Road Warrior Initiates Program for Flyers to Help Homeless

A frequent traveler and her son have initiated a toiletry drive at Gainesville Regional Airport to benefit St. Francis House. There is now a donation box near baggage claim for travelers to place their little-used travel bottles of shampoo, shaving cream or toothpaste. The items will be picked up and delivered to the homeless shelter.

“Donors will be helping families with children in our community,” says St Francis House Executive Director Kent Vann.  “St. Francis House provides over 100,000 services, over 80,000 meals and shelter to more than 100 people nightly, of which more than 30 percent are children under 10 years old. 

“The idea came from one of our Ultimate Road Warriors,” says airport Public Relations Manager Laura Aguiar. “She was already giving her excess travel toiletry items to her son to take to work at the shelter. She thought GNV’s other frequent flyers would want to do the same if it was easy.”

The airport helped get a secure box that would be appropriate for the waiting area near baggage claim. Passengers can drop items in the acrylic container on the way out the door.

“It seems an easy fit for the airport to help with these items,” says airport CEO Allan Penksa. “There are probably small and easy ways we can all help those less fortunate and we’re already getting positive comments about the idea from other Ultimate Road Warriors.”