It is your responsibility to do the thing that helps the most people in the shortest amount of time.

– Father Harry Tompson, S.J.

These words were on display for Jesuit’s Freshman Sodality as they, along with alumni from the Classes of 1967 and 1984, delivered items from the 5th Annual Winter Clothing Drive to the Harry Tompson Center (HTC). The drive saw past and the present Blue Jays join forces to improve the future—the well-being of today’s homeless community.

After a two-week effort to collect cold-weather items, the Freshman Sodality and alumni constituents concluded the drive on Friday, Jan. 31. Before meeting the alumni at the HTC, Sodalists enjoyed lunch and met some of the staff at Café Reconcile, including its executive director Gerald Duhon ’85. They learned about the restaurant’s mission of social justice and toured the back patio. Appreciating the delicious food they had just been served, Sodalists then used their energy to haul more than 50 bags of clothes into the HTC sorting room.

View the Photo Gallery from the 2020 Winter Clothing Drive Delivery

From winter coats and jackets to suits, sweaters, underwear, and personal hygiene supplies, students and alumni collected nearly a thousand items for the homeless men, women, and children served by the HTC. For the fourth straight year, the Class of 1967 did their part by donating around 50 pairs of tennis shoes.

As a project, the Winter Clothing Drive is a shining example of the many ways alumni willfully connect with their alma mater in service to the broader community. As a spiritual lesson, the clothing drive is crucially important for introducing young Sodalists into the virtues of Jesuit High School and the Society of Jesus. 

Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J. serves as Sodality director, while Bill Kelley ’67 and Ward Rice ’84 led their respective classes.