At their monthly meeting in November, the Friends of EOP Board took time to prepare special care packages in time for finals for students affiliated with OMA&D’s Champions Program.
Champions, established in 2011, serves UW students who are youth or alumni of foster care or who have experienced unaccompanied homelessness. It provides one-on-one support, community building activities and educational advocacy. The care packages included gift cards, snacks, hygiene products and other items to provide an additional level of assistance to students who don’t necessarily have families to depend on for support. The items were all donated by the FEOP board members themselves, or gathered from their employers, families or friends.
“It means so much to our students to know that someone is thinking about them,” said Melissa Raap, counseling services coordinator with the Champions Program. “We still have students from years ago that tell us how the care packages buoyed their spirits and gave them some extra sustenance at the end of the quarter.”
The Friends of EOP is comprised of alumni and community members who support fundraising efforts for OMA&D and serve as a host for Celebration, its signature student scholarship fundraiser. Members in attendance included FEOP President Barbara Lord MacLean, Anthony Sanchez, Jarrod Da, Shirin Soleman, Emile Pitre and OMA&D Vice President Rickey Hall.
“We are so grateful to the FEOP board members who came together to support our students in this way,” said Hall. “The involvement of our alumni and community members is a crucial component to our work to advance educational opportunity. I know that the Champions students appreciate this act of kindness as final exams are quickly approaching.”
To contribute to the Champions Giving Funds, please do so here.