As 2016 gets under way, Tarrant County College is celebrating a successful season of charitable giving and activities. While students, faculty and staff generously serve the community throughout the year, the holidays gave each campus a chance to do even more to help others.
Northeast Campus has made the season brighter for TCC families in need for more than 20 years through its Giving Tree. In 2015, employees gathered gifts for 19 young children whose parents attend Northeast Campus.
In November, the Dental Hygiene Department conducted the Save a Smile community service event in collaboration with Cook Children’s Medical Center. Students in the Dental Hygiene and Registered Dental Assistant programs, along with faculty members, provided two dozen children no-cost preventive oral care—including dental exams, x-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants and information about caring for their teeth. The value of the services exceeded $10,000. The programs will host another Save a Smile day in the spring.
Northeast Campus also continued its work to establish a food bank for students.
Northwest Campus Student Development Services collected and donated hundreds of items to SafeHaven, which operates the largest and most comprehensive domestic violence shelters in Tarrant County. The project is part of the campus’s ongoing Spotlight on Service initiative to help charities in the community.
Christian Student Ministries made and distributed care packages for homeless individuals over Thanksgiving break. The packages included lunch, socks, gloves, toiletries and notes of encouragement. The Criminal Justice Club served homeless citizens in Tarrant County as well by holding a coat drive and a day of volunteerism at Union Gospel Mission. The club also provided gifts for a Union Gospel Mission family.
Northwest Campus’ Association of Latina American Students (ALAS) teamed with Fellowship Church of Fort Worth to bring holiday spirit to women and children at Presbyterian Night Shelter. Students played with the children, passed out gifts and pampered the residents with fingernail painting.
Student Government Association of Northwest Campus collected canned food and donations for Tarrant Area Food Bank. Meanwhile, the Northwest Communicators Club and Northwest Campus Choir showed some love to furry friends in Tarrant County. The students performed at a November event that benefited Forgotten Tails Animal Rescue.
The Alpha Delta Delta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa partnered with Better World Books to collect books for literacy partner Books for Africa. The group provides much-needed supplies for African libraries and rural schools. The charity project also supported the Thirst Project, which seeks to end the global water crisis.
Southeast Campus brought together hundreds of students and employees—representing more than a dozen clubs, organizations and departments—for the 20th annual Arlington Life Shelter dinner. The event, themed “Holidays Around the World,” reflected the global diversity of the College and community. Culinary Arts and Dietetics students collected food donations and prepared a holiday meal for nearly 80 adult and youth residents of Arlington Life Shelter as well as shelter staff members. Santa and Mrs. Claus joined Southeast Campus volunteers to entertain children with music, dance, reading, crafts, face painting, cookie decorating, ornament making and more. The campus provided a toy and book for each child in attendance, with other books going to the shelter’s library and remaining toys donated to Arlington’s Santa Cop Program. The Arlington Life Shelter holiday dinner project resulted in more than 500 hours volunteered by students, faculty and staff.
Phi Theta Kappa members and other Southeast Campus representatives made monthly visits to Mission Arlington in the fall, sorting donations and assisting with operations. In addition, members of Phi Theta Kappa collected hundreds of canned goods earlier in the semester for the Brazos Valley Food Bank in Bryan, Texas, to help victims of severe flooding; volunteered for Refugee Services of Texas to stock, clean and set up apartments; and participated in Science Night and Math Night at Arlington ISD’s Bebensee Elementary School.
Trinity River Campus students and organizations also conducted a variety of charitable activities. In November, the International Students Association held a fundraiser for the International Red Cross to benefit victims of the Paris terror attacks as well as a food drive for the Tarrant Area Food Bank.
Sigma Tau, the Surgical Technology student association, donated thousands of items and gifts to SafeHaven of Tarrant County, students at Fort Worth ISD’s I.M. Terrell and Nash elementary schools and the Grapevine Housing Authority.
Trinity River Equality in Education (TREE) took part in the Salvation Army DFW’s Angel Tree. Students provided gifts for 31 children served by Fort Worth’s Samaritan House, which helps individuals and families affected by major health conditions, substance abuse, mental health issues and homelessness.
South Campus student organizations, faculty and staff also assisted residents of Samaritan House, holding a day of service in November. The group gave its time to Fort Worth’s Trinity Habitat for Humanity the following month. Student Development Services organized the activities to help students become more aware of their civic responsibilities.
Campus volunteers for Meals on Wheels added gift bags to their normal deliveries in December. The employee group brought holiday cheer to 16 senior citizens who live near the campus. The South Campus volunteers gave 240 service hours to Meals on Wheels over the course of the fall semester. They hope to expand their efforts in 2016.
