Kyle Keckler
News Editor
A gift drive sponsored by The Office of the Dean of Students is currently underway to provide Idaho State University with gifts for the holidays – Benny’s Giving Tree is a program that seeks to enable members of our campus community who may be in need to receive help towards making the holidays special this year.
The program works like any other giving-tree program; members of our campus community may nominate a child to the program, whose name will then be attached to a card on Benny’s Giving Tree for possible sponsors to pick up. Said sponsors will provide gifts based on what is written on the card to ensure that those in need within our community don’t go without this holiday season.
While the date to nominate children for the program has since passed, there is still time to pick and sponsor a family in need. To become a sponsor, simply take a tag from the giving tree situated in the Pond Student Union Building, near the Campus Connections desk, any day between now and November 27. Gifts may be delivered to the Office of the Dean of Students, situated within the Pond Student Union Hypostyle, Room 204, with the deadline to deliver gifts being December 9 by 4 p.m. For parents looking to pick up gifts, donations may be collected from the Heritage Room, also in the Pond Student Union Building, from December 12 to 13 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The Bengal spoke to Lesa Crawford, the Student Care and Assistance Coordinator for the Office of the Dean of Students, about the program. She said, “This is such a special program to be a part of. I know that it makes a big difference for families in need – we all know that going to school is a huge financial commitment, and so there are often times when things have to be sacrificed, and we don’t want that to have to be Christmas for the kiddos. It’s just such a fun thing to be a part of, and when parents come in to pick up, everyone is very appreciative, and I know it makes a huge difference for them.”
New this year, sponsors are being asked to consider giving gifts of something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. The intention behind this categorization is to ensure that all nominees for the gift drive receive similar goods to make the most of the holiday season.
For families with multiple children involved in the program, if one child receives more donations than another, the Office of the Dean of Students plans to subsidize the gifts the family receives to make up the difference, ensuring that no children receive gifts unequal to another in the same household.
Of course, Benny’s Giving Tree would like to reiterate that all gifts are greatly appreciated. This program means the world to those it helps, and it is an incredible way to spread holiday cheer within our campus community.
For more information regarding the program and how to get involved, please visit www.isu.edu/deanofstudents/about/news-and-updates.
