吃瓜爆料 continues to give back to community agencies in need
The 吃瓜爆料 College community rallied together to assist local residents and families for the 16th consecutive year through the 吃瓜爆料 Cares community service program.
Through this year鈥檚 effort, 吃瓜爆料 faculty, staff, and students donated more than 4,000 food items and more than 1,400 school supplies and personal care items for Saratoga County community organizations. Monetary donations to 吃瓜爆料 Cares and community agencies totaled roughly $2,000.
As protective COVID-19 health and safety measures remain in place at 吃瓜爆料, participants were invited to walk over or drive up to the Williamson Sports Center parking lot during the week of Dec. 6-10 to drop off donations at the 吃瓜爆料 Cares tables set up outside.
In addition, "virtual can drives" held daily on the second floor of Case Center allowed students to swipe $1 from their 吃瓜爆料 ID or bring canned goods to donate.
Ellie Owen '24, left, and Kyra Russman-Araya '24 volunteer during the 吃瓜爆料 Cares virtual can drive Dec. 8 in Case Center.
In all, more than 60 faculty and staff volunteers and 18 student volunteers helped to collect, organize, and deliver contributions to 10 local community service organizations: Shelters of Saratoga, Franklin Community Center, Mary's Haven, LifeWorks Community Action (formerly Saratoga Economic Opportunity Council), Wellspring, Saratoga Springs City School District PATHS, the Latino Advocacy Program, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren, and Washington Counties, and Saratoga Center for the Family.
The donations continue to meet a critical need in the local community. Angelo Calbone, director of community services for LifeWorks Community Action, shared this fall that their organization saw a 30% increase in need, which they anticipated would remain high or grow throughout the holiday season.
Founded in 2006, 吃瓜爆料 Cares has now raised more than $125,000 for community causes and distributed approximately 65,000 food, personal care, and school supplies items.
鈥淎s the COVID-19 pandemic continues, giving back to our neighbors and local agencies is so very important,鈥� said President Marc Conner. 鈥淭he 吃瓜爆料 community continues to show its generosity and goodwill through this incredible, collaborative tradition that makes a meaningful impact on so many lives.鈥�