By Bryce Spadafora
Contributing Writer
Nine students visited Saint’s Place in Rochester, NY for a day of community service.
The students worked with families who have come to Rochester to escape persecution, violence, and poverty. One group helped set up an apartment for a refugee family from Nepal, while another group worked in the Saint’s Place clothing closet, where they assisted refugee families in finding warm clothes for winter.
Christina Manuel, a freshman sports studies major, volunteered by helping a young girl from Burma find a warm coat for herself and her younger sister. Going into the project, Manuel was unsure of what to expect.
“I was reluctant, but I was very open to helping them,” said Manuel.
According to Manuel she related to the little girl she worked with. Coming from California to Western New York, she knew what it was like to go from hot to cold and not be prepared.
Another student who worked in the clothing closet, freshman international studies and Spanish major Haylei John, experienced a situation similar to Manuel’s because she didn’t know what to expect.
“I was excited to be a part of the project because I enjoy getting involved and helping others, but I didn’t really know what to expect at first,” John said. “I knew that we would be helping refugees, but I didn’t realize how much fun the actual project would be.”
John worked with children of various ages from Thailand. She helped the children find clothing for school.
Students that did not participate in the trip helped as well. The freshman class gathered school supplies at the start of the year. First Year Experience and Orientation Director Chris Brown said the school supplies were helpful because all of the donations went to refugee children going to school in the United States, so that they can participate in their own education.
Sr. Suzanne Kush C.S.S.F., the leader of the trip, said her goal was to provide aid for refugee families in the area, but to allow students interaction with different cultures as well.
“The goal of SBU’s Franciscan Center for Social Concern is not only to provide volunteer hours, but to get to know populations that students would not normally have interactions with,” Kush said. “We often think of the other as being different, but when we have a face to face encounter we see that we’re all the same. It’s through these interpersonal gatherings that we see our sameness. We are no different.”
