Red Bus Project raises money for orphans

On April 10, Southeast Missouri State University students and faculty might be baffled when they step outside as to why a fire engine red, double-decker bus made its way to campus.

The Red Bus Project is a double-decker bus that doubles as a traveling thrift shop. The Red Bus visits college campuses all across the country, giving college students the opportunity to help orphans and adoption agency efforts around the world.

Students are encouraged to donate clothes that they already have or shop on the bus. All proceeds go to orphan care.

According to the Red Bus Project website, "there are currently more than 140 million orphans around the world today who are in need of hope. That's more than seven times the number of college students in the U.S."

The idea for the Red Bus Project began with Baylor University student Emily Chapman who, first-hand, saw the impact that college students had and decided to turn her dream of an initiative to financially support orphan care efforts into a reality by giving college students a way to help children in need. Chapman achieved that dream when the Red Bus Project launched in 2012, along with the help of her brother Caleb Chapman and Show Hope's director of student initiatives Chris Wheeler.

Show Hope is an orphan care organization that works to find orphaned children a loving home. The Red Bus Project is a college student form of the Show Hope initiative.

Since its launch in 2012, its website describes that the movement has had thousands of students from more than 60 colleges who have contributed nearly $50,000 to help provide waiting orphans with forever families through Show Hope adoption grants.

The inside of the the red bus. Submitted photo

In the Spring 2014 semester alone the Red Bus Project will travel to more than 25 college campuses.

"The first thing I'd like to do once the Red Bus Project arrives is go to donate my clothes," Southeast student Diane Langenfeld said. "It will be nice to know that clothes I hardly wear anymore will be put to a great use."

Langenfeld feels that it is extremely important to give to a cause that supports orphaned children because it shows them there are people that care.

"I think it would be hard to feel like that at times when both of the people that are supposed to be your main support group are gone. It is such a simple and cost-free way to help them out and show some love," Langenfeld said.

Southeast student Rylie Gines also plans to donate and shop when the Red Bus Project arrives on campus.

"I have so many clothes that I never wear and I have been putting off getting rid of them," Gines said. "This is the perfect opportunity for me to clean out my closet and find something new for spring. What makes all of it even better is that by doing this I am helping orphans. It really is a win-win situation."

Gines also believes that the Red Bus Project is a great idea because it allows college students a way to give what they can, whether it's money or clothes.

"College students want to help," Gines said. "But they don't always have the funds necessary. The Red Bus Project is giving these students, with a ramen-noodle budget, a way to help orphans."

The Red Bus Project will be at Southeast most of the afternoon on April 10.

If anyone would like to get involved and become a Red Bus Project advocate they can visit the Red Bus Project website at redbusproject.org.