Students to Host Walk for South Bend’s Hungry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Students to Host Walk for South Bend’s Hungry on Palm Sunday

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

March 11, 2010 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—Students in the Office for Civic and Social Engagement (OCSE) at Saint Mary's College are coordinating a Lenten walk for South Bend’s hungry called “Yes, we can!” The South Bend–area community is invited to join students on the walk, which will begin at the Student Center at Saint Mary's College at 2 p.m. on Palm Sunday, March 28. The walk will proceed to the University of Notre Dame, where the group will stop briefly to pray at the Grotto, and then back to Saint Mary's.

Walkers may register online. Those who are not pre-registered should arrive at the Student Center by 1:45 p.m. Walkers may participate as an individual or as a team. Individual walkers are asked to bring three cans of food to the event or a $2 donation to benefit Little Flower Catholic Church’s food pantry. A team of walkers can bring a $5 donation or three cans of food per walker.

The “Yes, we can!” walk is coordinated by Saint Mary’s students participating in the College Academy of Tutoring Program (CAT). CAT was formed at Saint Mary's College in 2006 to meet the needs of at-risk elementary school students in the South Bend area. The program partners Saint Mary's students with Title 1 schools in South Bend in the roles of tutors, teacher's assistants, reading partners, and special program coordinators. In return, CAT scholars receive a $2,500 tuition credit at Saint Mary’s.

“The CAT Scholars Program provides me with a unique opportunity to work not only with the youth of South Bend, but also with a diverse group of women,” said Joy Viceroy, ’13. “Even though we come from different walks of life, and are pursuing a variety of studies at Saint Mary's, we are united in our love of children and passion for making a difference in the community.  I am truly blessed to work with such an amazing team.”

“As a CAT scholar you work a lot with helping the community meet standard needs,” said Anabel Castaneda ’12. “We usually help with children's education needs and now we are trying to help those who need help feeding their families.”

This is the second year for the walk. For more information on the walk, call OCSE at (574) 284-4265 or email Olivia Critchlow, assistant director of OCSE.

About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Saint Mary’s 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 100 liberal arts colleges in U.S. News & World Report's 2010 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.