A Season of Sharing: Ways for the Saint Louis University Community to Give Back

With the holiday season upon us, Saint Louis University is highlighting organizations that could benefit from the gift of time or donations. 

The University has many opportunities for the SLU community to get involved on-campus and off. For more general volunteer opportunities, those interested can complete a Service Interest Form. The Center for Social Action will provide a list of opportunities.

Billiken 2 Billiken

Billiken 2 Billiken (B2B), an on-campus resale store that sells items back to students at affordable prices, seeks gently used items. It relies on donations to keep their operation open and is accepting of all donations that are in good condition. Donations range from clothing to kitchen items and appliances to school supplies. Any item that cannot be sold in the store will be donated to other non-profit groups.

Donations can be brought to the store on the ground floor of DeMattias Hall during office hours. The store is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. 

Read more about Billiken 2 Billiken

Billiken Bounty

In partnership with the Center for Social Action and the Dean of Students Office, and in the name of cura personalis, SLU student leaders created a structure for a safe place to obtain groceries, where Saint Louis University students can choose from a variety of healthy foods to attain food security. Billiken Bounty is a free on-campus food resource for SLU students.

Needed items include bread, canned fruits/vegetables, rice, pasta, cereals, cooking oil, paper towels, toilet paper, condiments, laundry detergent, feminine hygiene products and macaroni and cheese. Monetary donations are also accepted online. 

Those interested in giving can bring food donations to Billiken Bounty, Room 226 of the Center for Global Citizenship, during its business hours. Billiken Bounty is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, during the semester. 

Read more about Billiken Bounty

Billiken Bounty - South Campus

Billiken Bounty on the South Campus serves anyone at SLU based in the School of Medicine, Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, Doisy College of Health Sciences and CADE. 

Needed items include canned or boxed soup, canned protein (tuna, chicken or beans), shelf-stable and precooked food items, ramen bowls, rice, pasta, cereal, snacks, condiments, laundry detergent, feminine hygiene products and toilet paper.

Those interested in giving can bring food donations to Billiken Bounty, School of Medicine’s Office of Ignatian Mission in Medicine, 3545 Vista Ave., Room 101, during its business hours. Billiken Bounty is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.  

Blue Santa

SLU faculty, staff and students can help Blue Santa make the holidays brighter for local kids by participating in the 2025 Blue Santa Toy Drive. The drive runs through Thursday, Dec. 11, when Blue Santa and his elves will collect donated toys at the Center for Social Action. Those dropping off toys between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. will be treated to hot cocoa, cookies and a photo op with Blue Santa himself.

The drive’s focus is on children between the ages 1-18.  Donations should be unwrapped toys and presents for kids in this age range.

Members of the SLU community may also donate to Blue Santa through giving online by selecting the "Center for Social Action" option. Virtual contributions will be used to purchase toys.

Donations can also be dropped off anytime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the Center for Social Action office (Center for Global Citizenship Suite 134) starting Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. 

Read more about giving to Blue Santa

Campus Kitchen

Campus Kitchen, a student-led organization that reduces food waste and provides meals to those who are hungry in and around the SLU neighborhood, needs help preparing and delivering meals over the winter season. 

Campus Kitchen has been addressing food justice issues by reducing food waste and providing meals to those who are hungry since 2001. Using donated food that would otherwise be wasted, volunteers — mainly SLU students, staff and faculty — prepare, package and deliver meals to people who are food insecure. These are men, women, children and seniors who live independently in homes across the street from our SLU campus, as well as those who live in nearby emergency shelters and transitional housing. In addition to meals, Campus Kitchen provides excess fresh produce to various nonprofit organizations. The efforts of Campus Kitchen volunteers feed about 600 individuals each week.

The organization will maintain its normal operations and is seeking volunteers as students head home for the holiday break.

Volunteer at Campus Kitchen

Turkeypalooza

Turkeypalooza is Saint Louis University’s annual Thanksgiving food drive. Led by Campus Kitchen, the drive collects holiday food items to be distributed to the St. Louis community.

Donations for Turkeypalooza were collected from November 17 to 20. The community can still donate by bringing a canned food item to the men’s basketball game at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21.

All those bringing canned goods can get a buy-one-get-one free ticket for the Billikens’ game against Purdue Fort Wayne at Chaifetz Arena.

Winter Inn

Every winter, St. Francis Xavier College Church hosts a Winter Inn, offering emergency shelter to homeless men on Wednesday and Thursday nights from December through February. 

Winter Inn is part of the St. Louis Winter Outreach program, a collection of churches and faith-based organizations that provide emergency shelter to supplement government services. The program operates from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28 each year on nights when the temperature drops to dangerously cold levels.

The Winter Inn is run entirely by volunteers and provides individuals with a warm bed, hot meal, and hospitality. Additional volunteers are needed for this winter. Volunteer positions include Setup, Greeters/Hosts, Innkeepers, Cleaners, Dinner Cooks and Laundry Drivers. Volunteers ages 13+ are welcome. Those under the age of 18 are required to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  

Volunteer at Winter Inn