Open Paws Pantry sees significant donation from AU student

When it comes to giving, Augusta University student Lucas Blouin is mastering the art. Ambitious and generous, Blouin is setting a new bar for leading and caring for his community and fellow students. 

As a first-year student in the James M. Hull College of Business studying business administration with a concentration in finance, Blouin has an entrepreneurial spirit and doesn’t hold back his excitement when talking about philanthropy. 

“I’ve been interested in business since I was a kid,” Blouin said. “I’ve always been interested just because I think it encompasses everything we do in our lives. Relationships are probably the number one aspect of business – it’s relationships, communication and how well you connect with others.”

Acting on his ambitious goals to include philanthropy and charitable giving into each of his semesters here at AU, Blouin kicked off this spring semester with a very large donation to the Open Paws Pantry. 

“I donated 140 pounds of items and, this isn’t at all to float my boat, but this is a way of giving back to people,” Blouin said. “I think showing others that strangers do care about them matters, and they’re never alone in their struggles.”

Dmya Sanders is a CARE case manager at the Open Paws Pantry and shared her first encounter with Blouin as he inquired about donating.  

“Lucas stopped by the pantry during regular hours, when students usually check in using the QR code,” Sanders said. “He shared that he wasn’t there to get anything for himself and instead wanted to donate. He asked what items we needed most or what tended to go the quickest.”

With the help of a family friend who shares Blouin’s charitable nature, he went shopping.

“Most of the things were not actually food; I had gone to the pantry a few days beforehand and made a list of what they needed most,” Blouin said. Items included shaving kits, toothbrush/toothpaste, deodorant, laundry detergent and bottled water.

The Open Paws Pantry opened in March 2016 and is celebrating 10 years of providing food and supplies to AU students. 

Through the years, the pantry has grown and moved several times, currently with two locations, one on the Summerville Campus in Quad Studio and one on the Health Sciences Campus in the Campus Recreation Center.

Sanders highlights how his contribution has a meaningful impact on both Augusta University students and the Open Paws Pantry. 

“Donations like this help ensure sustainability through grab-and-go items and hygiene products that students rely on the most,” Sanders said. “For students, this means having continued access to essential items that support their well-being and academic success. It also highlights the sense of care and community that exists at Augusta University, reinforcing that students are supported not only through resources, but through the generosity and initiative of others.”

When not in class, Blouin spends his free time sharing his talent, providing tennis and pickleball lessons at the Augusta Country Club. It’s the earnings gleaned from those lessons that allow him to financially reach his goals and give back.

“It makes me feel happy that I’m able to be in a position that I can do something like this, and I hope it encourages others to do the same,” he said. “Anyone can help with this. You don’t have to give money. You don’t have to give items even. If you’re just donating time to organizations like this, I think you’ll find that true joy comes from giving and not from receiving. And if you are someone, especially who’s young and you’re struggling, maybe even helping others might help you overcome that hurdle you’re going through.”

For those interested in following in Blouin’s paw prints, please the Open Paws Pantry has a wish list or you can provide a general donation for the pantry.

Visit the Open Paws Pantry website for any additional questions about the locations, hours of operation, who can use the pantry and other resources.