James Van Drie ’21 isn’t only a varsity athlete or ROTC cadet; he’s also the founder of a nonprofit. Having grown up close to Chicago, James is no stranger to the city’s harsh winters. On a high school volunteer visit to the city, he realized that not everyone has adequate outerwear to ward off the freezing winds. “We talked with a lot of people experiencing homelessness that day and listened to what they had to say. We quickly discovered what they needed most was better quality clothing,” James says.

He went back to his high school moved by the need of the people he had met in Chicago, and he tried to leverage the school’s lost-and-found to serve them. At Wheaton, James took a Human Needs and Global Resources (HNGR) class, dove deeper with his professors, and ultimately launched a nonprofit during his freshman year.

Windy City Warmth is an organization with a mission to bring communities together while providing winter outerwear to those who are homeless; it also educates volunteers on the nature of homelessness and how to volunteer well. James and this team of volunteers seek to build relationships and community, and break down barriers to serve those who need warmth.

HOMETOWN: VALPARAISO, IN

MAJOR: POLITICAL SCIENCE

FUN FACT: JAMES ALSO COMPETES IN VARSITY TRACK AND FIELD ON TOP OF HIS ROTC COMMITMENTS, STUDIES, AND NONPROFIT WORK