WSU Participates in Holiday Giving
OGDEN, Utah — Weber State University is hosting several programs and events to help meet the needs of community members during the holidays. Student groups, departments and community partners are making charitable giving easy through donation drives and volunteer opportunities that positively impact the lives of others.
“These events allow volunteers the opportunity to catch the vision of being engaged in their communities for their entire life,” said Mike Moon, assistant director of WSU’s Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL). “There is a much larger community and world than what exists in our own day-to-day social circles.”
Angel Trees on campus are full of tags representing children in need of a holiday sponsor. The Center for Community Engaged Learning has partnered with the Salvation Army to set up a tree in the Shepherd Union Atrium at the Ogden campus and in Building 3 at Weber State University Davis in Layton. Those who take tags from the Angel Trees can bring their unwrapped gifts to the Shepherd Union Room 327 by Dec. 9.
The Women’s Center is holding a donation drive to stock its Resource Pantry. The center is asking for toiletries, feminine hygiene products and clothing for children or adults. Donation bins are located in the Women’s Center, the Center for Diversity & Unity, the LGBT Resource Center and the International Student & Scholar Center. Students in need of assistance can take one bag of items from the Resource Pantry each week.
Veterans Upward Bound is supporting service members with “Shoeboxes for Veterans.” Participants can fill shoeboxes with items such as books, clothing, candy and toiletries. The boxes are then donated to local veterans in homeless shelters and nursing homes. Shoeboxes can be delivered to the Veterans Upward Bound office, Annex 12, by Dec. 9.
The Weber Cares Food Pantry, located in the Shepherd Union Room 402, provides free food to hungry students. The pantry is open Monday through Friday for students in need to fill a bag with food. The pantry also offers $10 food vouchers to use at any Sodexo food venue on campus. Non-perishable items to keep the pantry stocked can be donated to the CCEL office, Shepherd Union Room 327.
Volunteers can help lessen food waste and feed those in need through WSU’s food recovery program. Every Tuesday and Friday at 4:30 p.m., one to three people are needed to help collect and repackage leftover food from Sodexo Dining Services. All the food is then hand delivered to the Lantern House Homeless Shelter in Ogden.
WSU will provide volunteers to help Catholic Community Services distribute holiday food for families in need. Volunteers are still needed Dec. 19-21 to help the pantry (2504 F Avenue, Ogden) during one of its busiest seasons of the year.
Kids can meet Santa Claus, play games, decorate cookies and make crafts during “Cookies with Santa” at WSU Davis, Dec. 17 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The event, hosted by the Davis Student Involvement & Leadership, is free and open to the public.
“Cookies with Santa is an annual holiday tradition at WSU Davis,” said Erik Ashby, Student Programs and Leadership coordinator. “Participants enjoy a winter wonderland full of activities for children ages 3-10, holiday cookies and, of course, a visit with Santa.”
A “Share the Warmth” clothing drive is gathering gently used hats, scarves, gloves and coats until Dec. 12. Donations can be dropped off in the big blue bin outside of the CCEL office, located in the Shepherd Union Room 327. All of the items will benefit Your Community Connection, a family crisis center in Ogden, and Youth Futures, a homeless shelter for youth, also located in Ogden.
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
Rachel Badali, Office of Marketing & Communications
801-626-7295 • rachelbadali@weber.edu- Contact:
Mike Moon, Center for Community Engaged Learning assistant director
801-626-6890 • mikemoon@weber.edu