BINGHAMTON, NY – Every year, Binghamton University students, faculty and staff host numerous holiday drives to give back to the community and those in need. There are a number of programs scheduled for the coming weeks to give everyone in the Binghamton area the opportunity to feel the holiday spirit.
Project SAnta
11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, in the Old Union Hall, University Union
The 25th annual Student Association Holiday Toy Drive, Project SAnta, is a program that provides underprivileged children from the Binghamton community with gifts for the holiday season! The Student Association pairs up with social workers from all the local elementary and intermediate schools in the Greater Binghamton community to identify high-need children and their wish lists. The Student Association supplies offices and organizations with the opportunity to sponsor a family in need, looking for sponsors both on- and off-campus to help bring holiday cheer to all. A Project SAnta gift-wrapping party will be held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4., in Old Union Hall, in the University Union, on campus.
Hand-to-Heart Holiday Project
1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, in the College-in-the-Woods (CIW) Commons Room, CIW Dining Hall
The Hand-to-Heart Holiday Project, an annual holiday drive organized by Residential Life and the National Residence Hall Honorary, allows students to donate gifts for children in need this holiday season by filling a gift bag for a child. The Salvation Army has received well over 1,000 requests for help this year. In addition, staff members are generously donating gifts for children at the Wyoming Conference Children’s Home.
STOP Hunger Food Drive to Benefit CHOW and Binghamton University Food Pantry
Every year, the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW) hosts its Helping Hands Food Drive to feed the hungry in Broome County. This program, which collects non-perishable food items around campus, provides food to over 30 food pantries and 35 soup kitchens in the area. In conjunction with this effort, food barrels were placed in various dining halls on campus.
Students, faculty and staff donated non-perishables to benefit local CHOW and the Binghamton University Food Pantry, and they were able to participate in the Student Group and Campus Department Challenge. In total, Binghamton University Dining Services by Sodexo was able to provide well over a ton of food to both causes — 1,555 pounds of food to CHOW, with the other half being delivered to the Binghamton University Food Pantry.
Toys for Tots Campaign
Recently, Binghamton University's Physical Facilities department presented a check for $3,500, along with dozens of toys, to the Toys for Tots campaign. Employees hold a number of fundraising efforts throughout the year, including the annual John Mangino Memorial Golf Tournament. Due to the dedicated efforts of Physical Facilities employees, Binghamton University has become a key contributor to the annual Toys for Tots campaign.
