Women Helping Out Other People provides baskets with feminine care products in women’s restrooms around campus.
WHOOP is a women’s service organization at Texas A&M University that focuses on five areas of service: elderly, children, diversity, special needs and campus. Since April 2019, WHOOP has been placing and refilling baskets with lotion and feminine hygiene products for women to use as they need them.
Electronic systems engineering technology junior and WHOOP’s co-vice president of innovations Macy McCluney said the baskets helped to solidify the campus focus of the organization and reach a wider group of people than other campus oriented projects they have previously put on.
“We have a lot of opportunities for volunteering with children and elderly, but we hadn’t ever really found our main goal on campus,” McCluney said. “When we found this idea, it was something we saw taking off and leaving a positive impact.”
According to McCluney, the number and the locations of the baskets may be different any given week of the year due to a lack of supply.
“The number of baskets varies because it depends on the donations that we receive that week,” McCluney said. “We usually have around 15 to 20 baskets out in various locations around campus. Sometimes we’ll put more baskets out on other weeks.”
Service is at the core of WHOOP’s mission and the baskets exemplify that, according to Nathalie Heimeyer, biomedical science junior and president of WHOOP.
“WHOOP’s whole mission is to make a difference in any way that we can,” Heimeyer said. “We saw a need that women across campus have. Sometimes you just need a little extra help that day, or you’re a little bit surprised and you need something right then and there. We saw that as an opportunity to help our fellow Aggie women.”
Heimeyer said she has found thank you notes from women who have utilized the baskets, and it gives her great joy to know that WHOOP is helping others. Public health sophomore Alison Ortiz said the baskets are a testament to the importance of women standing together and offering resources for women at times when they least expect it.
“I think it’s really cool that there are women out there that care for other women and look out for their needs,” Ortiz said. “It’s nice to know that in case of an emergency, there are resources available in the restrooms, thanks to other women.”
According to Heimeyer, the baskets are there to help women in a small way because WHOOP believes that small acts can have big impacts.
“One of the quotes we like to say at meetings is, ‘Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person,’” Heimeyer said. “So, even though what we’re doing may not change things on a giant world scale, if we help one person in any way, that’s enough for us.”
To get involved with WHOOP, find them at MSC Open House in the spring to learn more about the organization and recruitment.