Being strapped for cash is a common situation for college students. Though many students get financial support from their parents through meal plans and housing payments, there are those who come from households of more limited means. And the increasing demands on students’ time and energy as they progress through school make holding down a job more difficult; that, combined with the gradual decrease of parental assistance, means many upperclassmen and graduate students have to be careful with their spending, regardless of family income.
It is with these struggles in mind that the Black Bear Exchange program was created.
The Bodwell Center in the Memorial Union has long been the epicenter of volunteer programs at University of Maine, and in 2009, the Black Bear Exchange was formed to give cash-strapped students a means of getting food and new clothes for extremely low prices.
It consists of a thrift store, which features donated clothing for very low prices, as well as a food pantry for those in need. Most recently it has expanded to include an “interview closet,” which will include suits and formal clothing for students who need to look sharp for job interviews.
Lisa Morin has been the director of the Bodwell Center since 2010 and is very proud of the work they do to help students in need.
“Many seniors don’t budget well when living [in their own] home and they don’t qualify for food stamps because they’re students. Our biggest focus is on them.” Morin said.
Lisa has lived in Old Town for the last 20 years and has worked for the River Coalition, which is a community nonprofit organization in Old Town, for the last five years.
“I have a passion for service.” Morin said.
Most of the donations to the program come from within the student community. People who come in and exchange their old clothes can also get credits toward other clothing items in the store.
“The clothes are things that people have owned before and like. It’s not [low quality] like stuff you would find at Wal-Mart.” Morin said.
The organization also receives clothing from the Clean Sweep sales that occur on campus after students move out of the dorms. Any clothing or items that are left behind go toward the sale and can find their way to the Black Bear Exchange’s stockpile.
Most of the food that the organization receives is through private donations and food drives that are run on campus. Many student and university organizations on campus have come together to support the Bodwell Center and the Black Bear Exchange.
“There’s power in numbers.” Morin said.
Deanna Chambers, a second-year elementary education student at UMaine, has been inspired by Morin and the Black Bear Exchange program to the point where she herself has gotten very involved in the program.
“If you can help someone, you should. I wanted to assist in any way I could.” Chambers said.
Chambers, a native of Old Town, first learned of the program when her mother brought her to an event on campus to exchange some clothes and buy some new outfits. Recently, Chambers has reached out to local businesses in Orono and Old Town, such as Pat’s Pizza and The Roost, to donate any unclaimed forgotten or lost clothing to the Black Bear Exchange.
Lance Cowan, general manager of The Roost, was more than glad to donate to the program.
“We’re always looking for a place to bring stuff that gets left behind.” Cowan said. “We usually keep clothes for one semester. [If no one comes] we usually take it to Goodwill. [The Black Bear Exchange] is just as good.”
Chambers has thus far been pleasantly surprised by the response from these businesses.
“I literally got a construction bag full of laundry.” she said, referring to The Roost’s donation. “I believe in helping your neighbor first. With a lot of these businesses, the reason they’re here is because of the university.”
Chambers hopes to keep luring in businesses from surrounding towns to follow suit and donate. According to Chambers, you have to “start close and work your way out.”
In addition to the Black Bear Exchange, the Bodwell Center is also responsible for a number of other community activities on campus. Blood drives, the Welcome Weekend, the Black Bear Leaders and the Black Bear Mentors programs, which involve upperclassmen volunteers engaging and mentoring freshmen and elementary school students, are also run out of the Bodwell Center.
For those looking for more information or to donate, the Bodwell Center is located in Room 311 of the Memorial Union and the Black Bear Exchange is located at 55 York Village. The Exchange is open Mondays from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m, Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and can also be found on Facebook.