The holiday season is once again upon us! This time of year is all about giving back and feeling a sense of community. To put a bow on 2024, we’re highlighting great efforts from our campuses focused on giving back. So, bundle up, grab some hot cocoa, and read along with SUNY Gives.
SUNY Cortland students shoot for the stars with campus Special Olympics club
On Wednesday nights at SUNY Cortland, you can find a group of athletes developing their physical prowess. You might catch one celebrating a victory, one arm pumping a fist while the other holds a metal baton. You might notice coaches laying down cones, grinning with anticipation as they mark off a landing area for their athletes. You may even see a head down with disappointment after an underwhelming rep, only to be consoled and encouraged for the next one. No, this isn’t a Cortland varsity track and field practice.
The energy and dedication displayed, however, are more than comparable. The athletes and coaches are part of Cortland Stars, SUNY Cortland’s Special Olympics club. The club allows student coaches to work with individuals with varying levels of intellectual disabilities, autism, or Down syndrome. They invite athletes of all ages and backgrounds, with most hailing from Cortland and Ithaca, N.Y. 
The Cortland Classic has become a marquee event, culminating the Stars’ work throughout the year.
Athletes within the program compete with Special Olympics clubs from Ithaca and other regional clubs. Cortland Stars athletes participate in events such as the long jump, 50-meter dash, 400-meter dash, and shot put. All events are officially timed and recorded, and the athletes are cheered on by SUNY Cortland fans and members of various athletic teams. About 20 student coaches participate with the seven athletes weekly, and the athletes’ progress is clear. “We had an individual come up to us last semester saying how much this has changed their life,” said Cortland Stars co-president Morgan Valerino.
SUNY Morrisville helps provide for families at Thanksgiving
SUNY Morrisville and the Morrisville-Eaton Central School (MECS) District brightened Thanksgiving for seventeen families this fall. MECS social studies teacher Meaghan Palmer and her coworkers began this effort 15 years ago to address food insecurities in the district. Jennifer Gilbert Jenkins, associate professor of agricultural science at SUNY Morrisville, stepped in to help five years ago, leading the college’s charge.
The food drive provided families with everything for a Thanksgiving dinner and more. They also got peanut butter and jelly and microwave meals for those who don’t have stoves. SUNY Morrisville’s monetary donations are the generosity of faculty, staff and students and allow Gilbert Jenkins to purchase produce such as carrots, potatoes and squash from local farms, as well as dairy goods, including milk, butter and cheese. The college has also donated produce, grown by faculty, staff and students on its Organic Farm, in past years.
Generally, the college-filled bags contain five pounds of potatoes, four pounds of carrots, two pounds of onions, four pounds of winter squash and may also include cabbage, peppers and other food items. The bags are given to MECS for distribution and are added to the mounds of MECS donations.
SUNY Niagara brings warmth to Lockport students
President Lloyd A. Holmes led SUNY Niagara’s campus community in delivering over 60 jackets and 100 scarves, hats and gloves to the Lockport City School District (L.C.S.D.). Thanks to the generous donations from SUNY Niagara employees, this heartfelt initiative aims to support local students by ensuring they have the proper winter clothing to stay warm and comfortable.
“We are proud to see our campus community come together to make such a positive impact,” said Holmes. “The warmth of these jackets, hats, scarves, and gloves is a symbol of the compassion and generosity that defines SUNY Niagara. We are grateful for our employees’ ongoing support of this meaningful cause.”
SUNY New Paltz EOP celebrates season of giving
The Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program helps students cover non-tuition costs (for things like books and housing) and provides students with tutoring resources, leadership opportunities, and a personal EOP Counselor for career and financial advisement. It also creates a community that lasts a lifetime. At SUNY New Paltz, the program came together once again this year to share a little bit of its community, with the New Paltz community.
EOP Associate Director Ivelisse P. Tuttle remarked, “Together, we’ve shown the power of community and the impact we can create when we come together for a common cause. Thank you for making this program a success and for embodying the spirit of giving.”
Since 2019, the EOP program has supported the Agri-Business Child Development (ABCD) Center, which helps farm workers and other eligible families across New York. To help spread some holiday cheer, the EOP program encouraged and gathered donations of clothes and toys from across the campus community to support the kids at the ABCD Center.
SUNY Schenectady students use service-learning projects to impact greater community
From leading a game of Bingo and making jewelry, to painting and providing hats and gloves to local residents, SUNY Schenectady students in Professor Renee Adamany’s Sociology: Interpersonal and Group Dynamics course connected with local community organizations through service-learning projects.
“One of the greatest gifts you can give is the gift of your attention. The students not only provided compassionate attention to community members but also much needed items,” added Professor Renee Adamany.
At Kingsway Manor Assisted Living, students assisted with a Bingo game and collected items for prize baskets. Each participant also received a gift bag. Students led budding artists at Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region in painting and jewelry making projects. Each girl also received a gift bag filled with books and crafts, while enjoying pizza, drinks, and snacks.
At the YWCA NorthEastern NY, students and residents tie-dyed T-shirts. Residents enjoyed pizza, drinks, and snacks that were provided by the students. Each resident also received a gift bag filled with personal care items and winter 
apparel.
Another group of students led craft activities and game stations for children ages 5-12 at Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus, Inc. (RISSE) and provided pizza, chicken, desserts, and drinks. Each child received a backpack filled with a notebook, pencils, and craft items and chose winter apparel including hats, mittens, and scarves.
SUNY Oneonta community puts gifts under the tree
SUNY Oneonta had record participation this year in its annual Giving Tree holiday gift donation drop-off. Departments and offices across campus chose gift tags that correspond with local families and children, including ages, sizes and special wish list items. Then, the campus community made magic, returning with bags and bags of toys, clothes and other gifts. Thanks to the faculty, staff and students who participated, 213 local children were sponsored.
Corning Community College honor society gives back to furry friends
Corning Community College‘s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) organized a heartwarming fundraiser to benefit the Finger Lakes SPCA. Students collected donations of pet supplies and toys for the shelter in Bath, N.Y.
This effort not only provided essential items to the animals, but also raised awareness of the SPCA’s services and its ongoing needs. “To give back is to help the animals in the community and keep this shelter sustainable so it can continue supporting the animals for many years to come,” said, Mckenzie Calderwood, PTK member.
For the members of PTK, the fundraiser was about more than just collecting supplies—it was about making a difference. The event provided an opportunity for participants to learn about the shelter’s work while making a meaningful contribution. One of the most rewarding aspects of the fundraiser was the hands-on involvement.
Herkimer College continues decades of giving
This holiday season, Herkimer College continued its tradition of giving back to the community by participating in the Gram Lorraine Christmas Children’s Program. This annual initiative, started in 1981 by Herkimer College Professor Emeritus Ray Lenarcic and his students, brings joy to local children and families by ensuring they have gifts to celebrate the season.
Faculty, staff, and students from various departments and clubs support the program, which collects and distributes toys, clothing, and other gifts to children in need. For more than 40 years, the program has delivered essential clothing, winter apparel, and gifts to local children, ensuring a brighter Christmas for families in Herkimer County and beyond. Originally established as the Adopt-A-Child Program, the initiative was renamed in 2001 in memory of Lorraine Crouse. In her honor, the program supports hundreds of children annually.
