Wanted: peanut butter, jelly and hard workers.
Students that want to get involved in the community will have a chance to do so during “Bulls Giving Back” on Saturday, March 24.
The event offers students a variety of opportunities to give back by taking part in a cleanup of Spa Beach; “Sweep Central,” a trash pickup and sweeping of the sidewalks along Central Avenue; or helping feed the homeless.
“We’re trying to get as many students or staff involved to make a presence in the community as USFSP,” said Danny McDonald, director of Student Life and Services for Student Government.
SG has teamed up with the local nonprofit organization Brown Bag Lunches of Pinellas. The organization, founded in the spring of 2011, began as a group of friends and family seeking to feed 250 homeless people for the Fourth of July. It has expanded its goal to 3,000 by teaming with local shelters. Meals of bottled water, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, granola bars, applesauce and other foods are prepared and distributed in brown bags.
“To see young people learn empathy and reach out to help the homeless gives me hope and encouragement that there’s another younger generation that’ll take over,” said Maria Johannesen, the founder of Brown Bag Lunches of Pinellas and a psychology student at USFSP.
Students can sign up to volunteer at one of three events by responding on the Facebook event page listed under “Bulls Giving Back a Day of Community Service.” Students can join and comment on the event they wish to participate in.
Supplies of granola bars, applesauce, peanut butter, jelly, bread, baby cereal, jarred baby food, bottled water, plastic sandwich bags and brown paper lunch bags can be donated at the Campus Grind in the purple bin.
