![Criminal Justice honorary backpack project](/sites/default/files/styles/944width/public/images/news-images/Alpha%20Phi%20Sigma%20backpack%20project_NEWS%201000x500.jpg?itok=bn84tIbl)
School supplies can be expensive. Think about the kids who show up to school without supplies because their parents can’t afford even the bare minimum.
Thanks to Heidelberg’s chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the Criminal Justice honorary, a special group of 10 local children already have school supplies for the fall, and won’t have to face the stress of going without.
“We thought this would be a great way to support the kids whose lives have been impacted by the criminal justice system and whose families just need a little support,”医生说。. Sarah Lazzari, assistant professor of 犯罪学 and 社会学 and Alpha Phi Sigma’s advisor.
When Sarah shared this need with the members of Alpha Phi Sigma, 他们立即行动起来, pulling off a big project during the last week of classes and finals.
Leading the charge was Alpha Phi Sigma President Madison Mosier, a junior 犯罪学 and Biology double major from Parma, 俄亥俄州. Also participating in the project were Paige Collins, 娜塔莉·鲁茨, 多米尼克里加拉多, 艾登沙利文, 艾拉胡佛, Yaniah鲍威尔, Hope Kreais and Cassidy Berringer.
“With our theme for the year being Juvenile Justice, this project seemed like the perfect opportunity to get involved in the community,麦迪逊说. “We aim to use our organization to benefit those in need. With many programs in 吃午饭 helping struggling individuals and families, we knew nearing the end of the year that school supplies might be hard for some people to obtain for next year. We wanted to be the helping hand to these families and use our funding toward something really important.”
After speaking with Shannon Maag, a program manager for Oriana House, Alpha Phi Sigma’s wheels were set in motion. Oriana House is an independent, non-profit community corrections agency that provides behavioral health and community corrections services. The agency helps communities and individuals address issues of addiction, 心理健康, community corrections and re-entry. Shannon connected the ’Berg students with the local court system’s PIVOT sobriety program and Seneca County’s Probation Services to get more details.
After learning what the kids needed most, Alpha Phi Sigma members conducted a school supply drive on campus, gathered school supply lists and raised about $700 to purchase and fill 10 backpacks with school supplies for children from kindergarten to eighth grade.
The reward for the ’Berg students is knowing they made a difference by being a helping hand to these families in need. “We really love the idea of helping our community of 吃午饭, which has become a second home to all of us students,麦迪逊说. “Doing this one thing to help out a family or make a child smile will always be something we as a group strive to accomplish.”
据莎拉说, their contribution of backpacks will have an even deeper meaning for the children who received them.
“If we can make these vulnerable kiddos feel more prepared, more stable and more confident, think about the ways they could soar through their upcoming school year!”她说。.