CoronaCarePackage
Donation protected
Like so many of my teaching colleagues across the country, I am trying to help my students navigate a sudden upheaval in their college experience. I leave room in our tele-conference class meetings for my students to co-commiserate, share their experiences, and just be college students. I'll listen, sometimes share my own experiences, and offer encouragement and reassurance where I can. At a recent class meeting, several students were complaining of being cooped up in the house, and one said that the only time they were able to get out was when they went and picked up take-out to deliver to their older sibling at work.
I glibly stated that they *could* get out and go to the grocery, but their response stopped me cold.
This student explained that since they lost their campus job when the campus closed, they had no money. They could no longer use their meal plan for food or snacks, and the only times that they were eating was when their sibling bought them a meal in return for bringing them take-out at work. Our school has a care team to assess student need and provide financial assistance, and I've made an anonymous referral on this student's behalf.
Then I went out and bought a handful of non-perishable items on sale to send as a care package. As I boxed them up, I included a hand written note of encouragement. I bought multiples of everything, in case I learned of other students in need, and sure enough, a student in a different class hinted at a similar situation. On my way purchase another shipping box, I thought that there were likely lots of college students in need -- in fact, the need wouldn't be limited to college students. People from all walks of life were facing similar disruptions and uncertainty.
My goal was not to feed and nourish my students -- $11 worth of off-brand groceries could not even come close to accomplishing that -- rather, I wanted to provide them a useful gift, along with a personal note of encouragement. I simply wanted to brighten their day in a stressful and trying time.
Now, I want to do the same for as many people as I can.
Although I bought off-brand items, and also shopped discount grocery retailers, I probably spent more than I would have had I bought in bulk. To make matters worse, I know that I spent more on shipping and handling in order to get the packages in the mail as quickly as possible. I believe that I can reduce the cost to around $20 per care package by simply shopping and packing a little smarter. If things scale up and I'm able to get donated items, who knows how low I could get the price.
For now, I'm trying to raise a mere $100, with hopes that I can far exceed that goal. Everything that I raise, where ever the total ends, will be put into care packages and mailed with a hand-written note of encouragement.
I am asking for your money, whatever amount you might be able to give, but I'm also asking for names and addresses of those who could benefit from receiving a surprise Corona Care Package in the mail. To send me a name, go to www.coronacarepackage.org and simply fill out the form. Be sure to include a message that I will hand write and include in the box.
Thank you for reading this, and thank you in advance for whatever you are able to do to help me brighten someone's day.
I glibly stated that they *could* get out and go to the grocery, but their response stopped me cold.
This student explained that since they lost their campus job when the campus closed, they had no money. They could no longer use their meal plan for food or snacks, and the only times that they were eating was when their sibling bought them a meal in return for bringing them take-out at work. Our school has a care team to assess student need and provide financial assistance, and I've made an anonymous referral on this student's behalf.
Then I went out and bought a handful of non-perishable items on sale to send as a care package. As I boxed them up, I included a hand written note of encouragement. I bought multiples of everything, in case I learned of other students in need, and sure enough, a student in a different class hinted at a similar situation. On my way purchase another shipping box, I thought that there were likely lots of college students in need -- in fact, the need wouldn't be limited to college students. People from all walks of life were facing similar disruptions and uncertainty.
My goal was not to feed and nourish my students -- $11 worth of off-brand groceries could not even come close to accomplishing that -- rather, I wanted to provide them a useful gift, along with a personal note of encouragement. I simply wanted to brighten their day in a stressful and trying time.
Now, I want to do the same for as many people as I can.
Although I bought off-brand items, and also shopped discount grocery retailers, I probably spent more than I would have had I bought in bulk. To make matters worse, I know that I spent more on shipping and handling in order to get the packages in the mail as quickly as possible. I believe that I can reduce the cost to around $20 per care package by simply shopping and packing a little smarter. If things scale up and I'm able to get donated items, who knows how low I could get the price.
For now, I'm trying to raise a mere $100, with hopes that I can far exceed that goal. Everything that I raise, where ever the total ends, will be put into care packages and mailed with a hand-written note of encouragement.
I am asking for your money, whatever amount you might be able to give, but I'm also asking for names and addresses of those who could benefit from receiving a surprise Corona Care Package in the mail. To send me a name, go to www.coronacarepackage.org and simply fill out the form. Be sure to include a message that I will hand write and include in the box.
Thank you for reading this, and thank you in advance for whatever you are able to do to help me brighten someone's day.
Organizer
Chuck Armstrong
Organizer
Evansville, IN
