Creating mutually beneficial friendships is crucial to one’s success in life, and through charity we create community engagements that make a memorable impact.
Every year as Thanksgiving approaches, Transylvania University’s education program partners with James Lane Allen Elementary in a drive that invites the entire campus community to donate non-perishable food to assist the families of these local schoolchildren.
Located across campus, the food boxes have helped ensure these kids have meals for the holidays. “I think it is a great idea to come together and raise food for people you may not even know,” Transylvania senior Charlie Jordan said, president of the Kentucky Education Association Student Program.
The food drive for James Lane Allen’s 21st Century grant program, which aims to eliminate the achievement gap for students in literacy and math, started four years ago with the help of the Transylvania education program. “We are creating mutually beneficial relationships through the partnership of our teachers, students and professors by committing to provide support for our partner school community,” said Cindy Hague, education specialist coordinator. “It is not just a drive effort, but we continue to maintain the goals through other activities during the year.”
All Transy students are welcome to participate in the program throughout the year. Contact Hague for more information.
In addition to the James Lane Allen drive, the Transylvania community is involved in several other efforts to support local families during the holidays. For instance, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has been collecting food too — this time for Common Good. Both food drives end Friday.
Additionally, the Writing for/with Nonprofits class has set up a box in the Writing Center for donations of personal care items to The Nest – Center for Women, Children and Families through Dec. 6.
This article was written by Kennedy Irakoze ’21, who is a business administration major and work-study student in the Office of Marketing and Communications.