SYLVIA HARDYArmed with scissors, tape and mounds of wrapping paper, students took on local poverty this past weekend. Gift-wrapping parties throughout campus marked the third annual Give Thanks Give Back (GTGB), a campus-wide gift drive to help over 160 of St. Louis’ neediest families.
The GTGB committee works with St. Louis’s “100 Neediest Cases,” a yearly effort that identifies those most in need of help during the holidays. Local residents and organizations then “adopt” these families and individuals by purchasing gifts for them.
“As a little kid, you were always thinking, ‘What am I going to get?'” said freshman Rebecca Sherman. “Now it’s not that big of a deal. I just think it’s good that now other people can have that feeling.”
This has been GTGB’s most successful year yet. In honor of the Washington University’s 150th anniversary, the committee aimed to double last year’s success by adopting 150 families. The University surpassed this goal by adopting more than 160 of them.
“I’m really impressed by the University’s response to [GTGB],” said freshman Katie Lombardi, co-chair of the special events committee. “We really tried to promote it a lot this year, and we had a lot of new tactics to get more people involved. At first, we were all a little nervous about trying to reach that goal [of 150 adoptions].”
According to Tabitha Knerr, the coordinator of GTGB and assistant coordinator of community service and women’s programs in the Office of Student Activities, such success came from the joint involvement of students and staff.
“Mostly, I’m impressed that it’s been not only students, but staff [who got involved],” said Knerr. “It’s become a campus-wide effort. Everyone has been very generous in their giving…I think it’s important for the University to have something it can really unite on.”
Knerr said she hopes that GTGB will make students more aware of the St. Louis community.
“Students have a lot to be thankful for, just being here,” said Knerr. “I think this is a chance to give back to the community we so often ignore.”
The Greek community also lent its support to the cause. This year’s GTGB drive marks the first time the entire Greek community has come together for a philanthropic project.
Junior Ashley Becker is the vice president of campus and community outreach in the Women’s Panhellenic Association, serving GTGB on the special events committee.
“We want to all come together and mobilize our numbers and take on a greater role in the University community’s philanthropic involvement,” said Becker. “We have a lot of people who care, and we looked at Give Thanks Give Back as a way to really bring our numbers together and work towards helping as many families as we could. Greeks care about helping others and are excited to be involved in a University community-wide project.”
Those involved with GTGB hope that the generosity will not end when the gift drive does. An education and advocacy committee was added this year for that purpose.
“We really wanted to give people the opportunity to think beyond just donating gifts,” said junior Chesney Fowler, co-chair of the education and advocacy committee. “[We wanted people] to think beyond the act of just giving this one time and maybe encourage them to work in the St. Louis community.”
Sophomore Lynnette McRae, the other co-chair of the education and advocacy committee, hopes that GTGB will continue to grow as a yearly presence on campus.
“I’m always happy to see [GTGB] grow, and I really look forward to the years ahead, because I know it’s just going to get bigger,” said McRae.
McRae said that even this year, the best is yet to come.
“When I’m in the room with tons of presents when we bring them into the agency, that will be the best part,” said McRae. “When I can see what the University as a community has done for others, I think that will be most rewarding.”