2015 2015: Plenty of ways to be part of the season of giving at UMass Dartmouth

Successful ‘Quarters for Christmas’ fundraiser part of a series of campus initiatives dedicated to giving back during the holidays

The UMass Dartmouth Police Department organized the 17^th annual Quarters for Christmas fundraiser this Thursday, December 3, at the UMass Dartmouth Campus Center raising $1600 which will be used to purchase toys for children in need. The UMass Dartmouth community was invited to enjoy hot dogs for 75 cents with all the fixings. The quarters used to purchase the hot dogs were lined up throughout the Campus Center to show the tremendous spirit of giving on campus.

Last year more than 100 toys were purchased by the more than $1300 raised through Quarters for Christmas. The Police Department was also out on the Campus Quad behind the Campus Center for its Stuff a Cruiser initiative. The Police Department collect toys to fill a police cruiser for children in need. These toys will be combined with toys purchased from Quarters for Christmas.

The Quarters for Christmas and Stuff a Cruiser initiatives are part of a series of initiatives on the UMass Dartmouth campus dedicated to giving back during the holidays, including:

Holiday Book and Toy Drive

A children’s books and toy collection is underway until Dec 16 at UMass Dartmouth’s Claire T. Carney Library. Members of the UMass Dartmouth community and library goers are invited to donate new children’s books and toys to the library and place them in the collection box near the Circulation Desk on the 1st floor of the library. The donated items will be distributed to local families for the holidays.

Gift of Giving Food Drive

Donation bins are located throughout campus until Friday, December 18 to collect canned goods for the 7th annual “Gift of Giving” Food Drive. UMass Dartmouth’s Student Affairs Office and Center for Religious & Spiritual Life have teamed up again this year to collect non-perishable food items to help the “Students Helping Students” Food Pantry and local charities. All non-perishable food items will be accepted in addition to clothing items such as socks, hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves.

UMass Dartmouth distinguishes itself as a vibrant public university actively engaged in personalized teaching and innovative research, and acting as an intellectual catalyst for regional economic, social, and cultural development. UMass Dartmouth's mandate to serve its community is realized through countless partnerships, programs, and other outreach efforts to engage the community, and apply its knowledge to help address local issues and empower others to facilitate change for all.