As the school year approaches Student United Ways are ramping up for another year of giving, advocating and volunteering on 62 campuses across the 32 states.
In previous years Student United Ways have engaged thousands of student volunteers in hundreds of service projects giving thousands of hours of volunteer time. These efforts have gone towards improving the education, income and health of their local campus communities and much more, here are a few examples from our Student United Way Award winners from 2011:
Student United Way of Montana State University Billings (MT) created an innovative program to help increase the educational attainment of younger students in their community. Student United Way members forged relationships with a few local elementary schools and corresponded via e-mail throughout the semester with the school children – 3rd and 4th graders, and kids with special needs. Their volunteer program focused on encouraging higher education and better communication skills at a young age, in hope of lowering the community’s high school drop-out rate in the future.
Student United Way of University of Florida focused on the areas of income and health, by leading production of low cost cradles made from affordable items proven to be safe sleep alternatives to traditional more pricey cribs. The cradles were then donated to expecting parents for the purpose of curbing the doubling of infant deaths in Alachua County in the last two years caused by unsafe sleeping conditions. University of Florida also helped feed elementary school children, whose parents otherwise have difficulty affording a sufficient nutritious diet over the weekends, with a Weekend Hunger Backpack Program. Student United Way of University of Florida volunteered to stuff backpacks on Wednesday mornings on a biweekly basis year-round, also helping to raise funds and collect 216 pounds of food.
With the above examples of student led social change, we cant wait to see what the Student United Ways have planned for 2011-2012 school year. Going back to school never looked so good!
Student United Way is the student led campus-based movement of United Way. Don’t see your campus on the list? Interested in starting a Student United Way club at your school? View the following for more information: