A new sorority, Delta Alpha, was established last year at UConn. With only five members on campus, their mission was to engage in charitable activities within the context of Greek life. This year, they are putting that mission into action by holding a toy and book drive to benefit the children of the Big Friends-Little Friends program at the Mansfield Youth Service Bureau.
"Often times people come from UConn and think they have to jump right over Mansfield to think about all the poor cities around here," said Pat Michalak, the Youth Service Bureau Coordinator. "They forget that there are a lot of kids who need it, right here in this town."
The children involved in the Big Friends-Little Friends program are from single-parent families and between the ages of 9 and 15, according to Delta Alpha president and 5th-semester history and journalism major Kristin Zuvich. The sorority is collecting toys, books, cash donations and nonperishable food items for the children and their families "because we think that age group tends to get neglected a lot during toy drives."
The Big Friends-Little Friends program, according to Michalak, matches 20 UConn student volunteers with 20 local children who meet weekly to play games and socialize.
"What it is for the kids is to practice socialization and have good role models," said Kathy McNamara, the staff therapist at the Mansfield Youth Service Bureau.
Projects like the Delta Alpha Toy and Book Drive help bridge the gap between the UConn and Mansfield communities, according to Michalak. Many of the "little friends," do not have college-educated role models in their families. The children, she said, often think, "I could never do it, I don't know anyone that ever went to college - how can I?"
Getting to know UConn students helps answer that question, McNamara said. Programs like Big Friends-Little Friends demystifies the idea of going to college and presents them with the possibility that, "they can do it too."
UConn activities that involve the Mansfield community also help debunk negative stereotypes that are commonly held in town.
"All [local residents] talk about are UConn parties, and everyone drunk on the streets," McNamara explained.
"That's not our experience," said Michalak. UConn students have, "been such an asset to our program ... they're so reliable and dependable."
The toys will be wrapped and distributed directly to the families, said Michalak. The gifts will be labeled, "from your UConn Big Friend."
"We'll give them to the kids and the parents to take home and put under the tree," Michalak said.
Toy drive donation boxes are currently in the Wilbur Cross building near the information desk and in the African American Cultural Center. They will be available for donations through the end of this week, according to Zuvich.
Delta Alpha will also have a collection table set up in the Student Union near the Graduate Study Lounge on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at the same times on Thursday outside of Chuck & Augie's.
Contact Heather Murdock at
Heathermurdock@Yahoo.com.
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