INDIANAPOLIS — IU Indianapolis is celebrating 25 years of its "Season of Giving" initiative and hoping to raise the bar this year by supporting 100 families through partnerships with two near west side community organizations.
WRTV spoke with representatives from the university's two longtime partners, Christamore House and Hawthorne Community Center, to understand the community need and their process for selecting families.
"This time of year, Christmas is my thing. Let me put it that way. I love Christmas and to be able to see the smiles on some of the children's faces," said Mary Stevenson, Director of Financial Stability for Hawthorne Community Center.
Stevenson has been leading Hawthorne Community Center for 18 years. The center, which has served the community for over 100 years, operates as a one-stop shop for local families.
"We actually have a list that we've created, and we ask the families to give their children's names, how old they are, what age and what grade they're in, and then we ask them to create a wish list. You may not receive everything on your wish list, trust, but we will try to provide the things that you need," Stevenson said.
Just five minutes away, Christamore House serves families facing various challenges during the holiday season.
"So, we have working families who just need a little help to get over that little hump. We have families who are in situations where they've lost their source of income, they may be on the brink of losing their home, and so the need varies," said Toya Pitts, CEO and Executive Director of Christamore House.
Both organizations use a similar approach, asking families to create wish lists that balance wants and needs.
"They fill out a wish list, and we just tell them this is what it's a wish list. So, you put together things that you want, things that you need, and depending on what family or what organization adopts you kind of dictates what those gifts look like," Pitts said.
Dr. Richard Bray, Strategic Partnership Manager at IU Indianapolis in the Office of Community Engagement, noted the program's long history with the Near West Side community. Last year, the program nearly doubled its impact, supporting 233 children and parents from 63 families.
The initiative relies heavily on student volunteers like Haveebat Aminu, a junior at IU Indianapolis who serves as Project Coordinator for Season of Giving. Originally from Nigeria but living in the United States for nearly six years, Aminu draws inspiration from her family's tradition of giving.
"Growing up, I saw my mom doing a whole bunch of giving. Even until now, she always tells me every single time. Always give, no matter the little you have, give just give," Aminu said.
Students volunteer their time in various ways, from shopping for families to wrapping gifts.
"Season of Giving, I think we actually like. People volunteer to like wrap gifts and stuff, that's a way of giving your time because that's still something," Aminu said.
Both community partners emphasized that contributions of all sizes make a difference.
"Every donation counts, no matter how big, no matter how small," Pitts said.
Collection day is scheduled for Tuesday, December 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Taylor Hall, room 104, located at 815 West Michigan Street.
