If you had to guess what Towson University senior Alexiana Gaither’s idea of a fun weekend includes, you probably wouldn’t say gleaning.
But along with the 15 to 20 other members of Towson’s Student United Way, the mass communication major spends a lot of weekends gleaning – gathering the produce on farms that was left behind after a harvest.
“We pick the produce and then it gets donated to food banks,” says Gaither, president of Towson’s chapter. “It’s one of our most popular events because it’s very hands-on and it’s fun to get outside.”
In addition to gleaning, the service-based organization works with United Way of Central Maryland to focus on income, hunger, homelessness and education issues in the Baltimore community.
And though this is only the group’s second year as an SGA-affiliated club, it has already received international recognition.
In May, the organization received the Income Promising Practice award by United Way Worldwide for its fundraising efforts last fall. The chapter ran a campaign where students could donate extra meals on their OneCard to support United Way of Central Maryland’s Harvest of Plenty fundraiser, which supplied Thanksgiving meals to families in need.
“United Way Worldwide said that it was a really creative way to raise money,” Gaither explains. “It was ideal to get students to donate. Sometimes they don’t have cash, but they always have a meal on their OneCard.”
Winning the award was especially meaningful, Gaither says, because the group is so new to campus.
“It’s good to have recognition just because we’re always trying to let people know what we do,” she says, adding she hopes to double the amount they raised last year on that project.
The group also plans a Pie-A-Greek or Pie-an-Athlete fundraiser in collaboration with other student groups on campus. It will continue volunteering at the soup kitchen My Sister’s Place in Baltimore.
Gaither says volunteering in Baltimore provides a rewarding learning experience for college students.
“We really want to get Towson students involved because college is a good chance to become aware of what’s going on in your backyard,” Gaither says.
And getting involved is easy, Gaither says. The club has a Facebook page, TU Student United Way, and it meets every other Thursday at 6 p.m. in the University Union Susquehanna meeting room 200-i. Meetings are open to anyone.
Gaither says students can pursue any facet of volunteerism with the organization.
“It’s very much a group that based on what you’re interested in, you can make it your own,” she says.
