Press Release

Students Organize “Yes, We Can!” Walk to Collect Cans of Food for the Hungry

Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
(574) 284-4579

March 17, 2009 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—Students in the Office for Civic and Social Engagement (OCSE) at Saint Mary's College are coordinating a Lenten walk for the hungry on Sunday, April 5 called “Yes, we can!” To participate, walkers will bring three cans of food or a $2 donation to the event to benefit Little Flower Catholic Church’s food pantry, CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) International and Operation Rice Bowl. The walk begins at 3 p.m. at the Student Center and continues to the campuses of the University of Notre Dame and Holy Cross College.

The South Bend–area community is invited to join students on the walk. Participants may choose to walk as a team or as individuals. Those who are unable to take part themselves can sponsor a walker. Registration and sponsorship information is available online or by email.

This is the first year for the walk, which is coordinated by Citizen Scholars—students who receive financial aid assistance for hours they work in the community. OCSE operates the Citizen Scholars program at the College. There are Citizen Scholars programs at college and university campuses across the Midwest as an initiative of the Midwest Campus Compact Citizen-Scholar (M3C) Fellows Program.

“Being a Citizen Scholar has given me the opportunity to truly help the community in so many ways. By being part of a wonderful organization, I have been able to volunteer and help many people by giving my time in the classroom and doing something I love—helping children learn,” remarked Saint Mary’s student Alicia Wilkins ’11.

“The walk for the hungry is a great opportunity to help people by doing something simple. It is a wonderful feeling to put together an event like this and to see how we can make a difference in our community just by participating in a group walk,” said student Beth Caldwell ’12.

In addition to the walk for the hungry, OCSE is coordinating a food and fund drive on campus during Lent to benefit the same organizations. On Wednesday, April 8, at 4 p.m., the day before Holy Thursday, donated food will be blessed on the lawn in front of the Student Center. The media is invited to cover the event.

For a campus map, click here .

About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering bachelor’s degrees in more than 30 major areas of study. The College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary's College ranks among the nation's top liberal arts colleges in U.S. News & World Report's 2009 annual survey. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.