A group of students are giving the campus a chance to lend a hand to the 836 homeless youth who live in Abilene.

The Student Social Work Association will be collecting toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant to help the youth.

Krystal Underwood, senior social work major from Bakersfield, Calif., said the 836 Project is named in honor of the growing number of Abilene’s homeless youth.

“We focus a lot on international,” Underwood said. “But I want us to look at what’s in our own backyard.”

Collection bins will be located in the Campus Center, residence halls and social work office for the next two weeks. Individuals also can make cash donations in the Campus Center.

SSWA will be creating care packages for area schools in conjunction with Communities in Schools, an organization that operates in six schools in the Abilene Independent School District, Underwood said. A donation of $3 will provide one care package and $5 provides two packages.

Gillian Hester, junior social work major from Abilene, said this is a chance for students to give back to the community in which they live.

“I think it’s really important, because it deals with the people right here among us,” Hester said.

Amanda Wallender, junior social work major from Coppell, said the goal of SSWA is to raise awareness of the homeless youth located here in Abilene. She said the 836 Project is one of a couple of SSWA projects meant to do so, and the group will be selling T-shirts to that end later this year.