Katie Samek-
The Community Engagement Center is partnering with Seeds of Hope to bring children in need an unforgettable summer camp experience, and they’re collecting donations via the Giving Tree.
Students interested in donating can go downstairs in the Jackson Campus Center and find the two inflatable palm trees set up by the Courtyard Cafe, which will be left up until either Wednesday, May 15th or until all of the tags have been claimed. Peruse the tags, then select one (or several) that you would like to fulfill. Purchase all of the items listed on the tag(s), then deliver them to the Community Engagement Center, also located downstairs in the Jackson Campus Center. The CEC is requesting that all donation items be delivered by the end of the day on Friday, May 24th, so if you’d like to donate, then now is the time to grab a tag.
Donations listed on the tags are all items that will go towards the summer camp that Seeds of Hope is organizing for later this summer. Items to be found on these tags include sunscreen, kids’ swimsuits (all child sizes), kids’ tennis shoes (all child sizes), bug spray, swimming goggles, and twin-size bedsheets, just to name a few. Each tag has its own unique list of items, so each student can look through and select a tag with donation items that are within their own budget. Please note that all items purchased should be appropriate for kids to use/wear, so please keep that in mind when purchasing items that may contain patterns or characters on them.
Seeds of Hope is proud to have had several Gusties serve as camp counselors in years past and is currently looking for volunteers to help at camp or assist with registration for this year. Interested students can go to https://www.seedsofhopekids.org/get-involved and scroll down to the section which reads “Become A Volunteer”, which contains the links for volunteers to sign up for either camp or registration volunteer opportunities.
Seeds of Hope is a faith-based camp for kids in southern Minnesota currently in foster care or the social services system. First established in 2013 as Royal Family KIDS Mankato, Seeds of Hope orchestrates a week-long summer camp for children in need to celebrate the joy of childhood with the most vulnerable in our community. While Seeds of Hope works primarily with children currently served by the social services system, it also caters to children who may be experiencing trauma from significant loss and economic instability.
As quoted from the Seeds of Hope website: “Some of our campers have been abused or neglected, some have experienced the recent trauma of losing a parent or family member, and some are dealing with mental health issues within the family unit. Some are currently living in a foster care home, and others are going through the process of reunification with their biological families. Regardless of the circumstances that bring them to our attention, these kids and their families are in need of some respite, and we are here to provide it.”
While there are no organizations on campus formally affiliated with this Giving Tree, it does serve to further the goals of the Community Engagement Center, which seeks to serve and engage campus community members in service that is beyond the on-campus community. Dr. Kate Knutson, professor of Political Science here at Gustavus, is also closely involved with Seeds of Hope and helped coordinate this event with the CEC.
“This event is a great way to educate about the needs that are prevalent here in southern Minnesota,” Community Engagement Center Director Amy Pehrson said. “Seeds of Hope is a great way for Gustavus students to help support children in need, as well as giving these kids a chance to build connections with their peers and have a safe, fun place to interact with each other over the summer.”
Students who are interested in contributing to Seeds of Hope outside of the Giving Tree can learn more about the organization and its goals at their website, https://www.seedsofhopekids.org/. Seeds of Hope offers opportunities to sponsor a child’s week at camp, donate to the organization, volunteer sign-ups for those interested in helping at camp, and many more opportunities for community engagement.