There was a chaotic swarm of colorful coats and the occasional Halloween costume, as about 25 children boarded two separate buses provided by UConn. Each of them had a "big friend" from UConn at their side. They were all participants in a program called Mansfield Youth Services Big Friends.
The program coordinator, Pat Michalak, checked to see if all the students were with their "big friends."
They then went to a pumpkin patch at, Edmondson's Farm in Coventry, where they were allowed to bring home a jack-o-lantern and took a hayride around the woods. Meanwhile the children were able to bond with their student mentors.
To the untrained eye this would seem nothing more than an average field trip. But if one were to take a closer look, they would see that almost none of the children had cell phones. Nor is it likely that they could have been able to afford a pumpkin for Halloween this year.
Occurrences like this are common among UConn's Community Outreach and other volunteer programs.
The economic downturn has hit home - and most UConn students do not realize it. Sure, they may see minor repercussions in their own lives or their friends', but for the towns surrounding UConn there is a long, hard road ahead.
In 2007, 16.8 percent of Mansfield residents were below the state poverty level. It's safe to assume that things have gotten worse. Even if the economy continues to improve, it can take a very long time for someone who has fallen to get back on his or her feet.
There is some evidence of tough times around campus. The florist shop is now an empty storefront. Mansfield social worker Kathy Ann Easley has seen a spike in demand at the food pantry she runs.
Holiday requests, such as assistance with Thanksgiving and Christmas, have tripled. People who never considered seeking out services are now finding themselves asking for help.
Many people that need financial help do not come forward fearing the stigma associated with seeking out assistance. But that stigma is vanishing as people from Mansfield to Willimantic to Rockville find themselves in desperate straits.
From requests for assistance paying utility bills to applications for winter coats, the requests are often simple. They just need help to keep the lights on another month. Get a gift for a Christmas that otherwise wouldn't happen. Help secure an apartment rent voucher to keep a working single mother and her children in their home. Make sure that a handicapped man doesn't choose between eating and paying his rent.
Most of them are families with jobs, or migrant workers, who have found themselves in a world where their dollar doesn't get them as far as it once did. Seniors and disabled residents are among the most affected, despite government assistance.
UConn is a vast resource of students, all learning various skills. With the time and the will, they could change the lives of hundreds of people.
Community Outreach and all the other volunteer programs run by UConn students do great work. They have always met the demand before, but there are no guarantees that an end to the recession is in sight. It may not be visible around campus, but there is a growing population that needs students' help.
If you are thinking about volunteering, consider this a call to arms. You are needed now and many more may be needed very soon.
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