For most students, the holidays serve as a time for being with family, showing appreciation through gifts and, of course, eating good food.
Beyond friends and family, the season of giving extends to the less fortunate. Students at Detroit Mercy have multiple ways to help those in need ahead of the holidays.
The university is currently col- lecting mittens and gloves for the non-profit Mittens for Detroit, which distributes the items to children, teens and adults in need. Collection boxes can be found on all three cam- puses and donations will be accepted through Dec. 17, officials said. On the McNichols campus, look for boxes at basketball games in Calihan Hall, in the lobby of the Titan Dining Room, the lobby of the Student Accounting and Registrar office, and the University Ministry office.
Last year, the university donated more than 100 mittens and gloves.
The brothers of Lambda Theta Phi – Beta Epsilon chapter and Phi Beta Sigma – Rho Nu chapter are collabo- rating with Toys for Tots this season by hosting a holiday toy drive.
Students are asked to donate items like dolls, backpacks, card games, activity books, school supplies, stuffed animals, toy trucks and more.
There will be a drop-off location in Calihan Hall from noon until 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8. For more information, contact Jorge Reyna at reynala@udmercy.edu.
The university’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honors society, just wrapped up a sock drive for the homeless. They said they plan to donate what they received to local shelters including the Detroit Rescue Mission and the Pope Francis Center.
Beyond the opportunities to donate on campus, students say their families often make it a point to give back around their communities.
“In the past, my parents have ‘adopted’ a child in need by getting a Christmas list from them, and of course, getting them everything
that they want so that their Christ- mas would be special too,” said Sara Koryal, a senior. “We are also heavily involved in our church, so we donate as much as we can to the different drives they hold during the holidays.”
With several churches in Detroit Mercy’s neighborhood, like Gesu, there are plenty of outlets for giving back to the community.
Macy Colucci, who is in her third year at UDM, also finds it important to spread kindness and be a lending hand for those in need.
“Every year, I help my grandma with her church’s giving tree, book drive, and Christmas meals,” she
said. “They gather enough food to prepare a breakfast, lunch, and dinner for several families to have ready for them on Christmas day.”
She said the book drive is especially important to her.
“Brand new books are gathered and given to patients in the cancer unit at the hospital,” she said. “I think it’s really special.”
