The Student Government at Sacred Heart University hosts a Turkey Drive every year for the community of Bridgeport. Last year’s Turkey Drive looked different for Student Goverment.
“My freshman and sophomore year, we were able to package the canned food and give out a turkey and bag of food to the families at churches in Bridgeport,” said senior Olivia Chaponis, Class of 2022 President. “Last year, during Covid-19, we were unable to hand the Thanksgiving care packages directly to the families; however, a small group of us were able to unload turkeys and store them at the church until they were able to give them to each family directly.”
There are several events that are held to fundraise for The Turkey Drive every year. Many students and others in the Sacred Heart Community get invovled.
“This year, we are fundraising for the Turkey Drive by partnering with local restaurants and businesses to raise money. We are also reaching out to friends, family, and alumni to get them involved with this wonderful event,” said junior Lauren Regan, community service chair. “Lastly, we are bringing back some of the turkey drive traditions, such as the ‘Turkey Hat Fundraiser,’ which is a fun way to raise money and get faculty and students involved.”
The goal of this event is to provide the community of Bridgeport with Thanksgiving dinner that they could otherwise not afford.
Some student feel this event is very rewarding to the people involved, as it allows them to support the city of Bridgeport: a community that many off-campus students are part of in the upperclassmen years.
“I also think seeing the smiles on the families and when they bring their kids is extremely heartwarming as you see just how thankful they are and how you know that you did that. You were able to leave an impact and help a family get a thanksgiving dinner which most people take for granted,” said Chaponis.
The Turkey Drive coordinators work hard in order to raise a certain amount of money to reach their goal.
“The goal in this event is to raise about $15,000 so we can provide our goal of 700 turkeys to the Bridgeport Community. Each turkey is about $20,” said junior Isabella Scarmack, Class of 2023 Senator.
There are several ways that students can get involved in this event.
“Students can get involved by resharing our ads on social media, asking their families and friends to donate, by stopping at our table times, and by going to any events we have. If students or faculty have any questions about the Turkey Drive, they can always stop by the Student Government office in Hawley Lounge,” said Regan.
For any additional questions or concerns about this event or others, please reach out to give@sacredheart.edu
Facebook: @SHUstudentgovernment
Instagram: @shustudentgov
Twitter: @ShuStudentGov
