Freshmen Class Serves the Community: Photogallery

Trinity’s incoming freshmen volunteered at Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF) on Tuesday, August 31, as part of their First Year Forum day of service. More than 260 students and staff worked together at CHF’s Chicagoland warehouse wrapping 10,368 Beanie Babies donated by Ty Inc. for children in Eastern Europe.

Eric Robbert ’13 of LaGrange, Illinois, who had already served at the organization, was the coordinator of the project. Last spring, Robbert suggested the volunteer opportunity to Trinity’s FYF coordinator Becky Starkenburg and the CHF branch manager.

But Robbert was told that there wasn’t a project large enough to accommodate the group of freshmen. It was a disappointment to the sophomore who has a heart for the organization’s mission and believes its proximity to the College would allow interested students to continue volunteering.

Then the week after classes ended for the summer, Robbert received a call from CHF. He learned of the huge toy donation and the need for a large group of volunteers to wrap each stuffed animal.

“I was speechless,” said Robbert, “God provided the event and made it happen.”

FYF is part of the Office of the First Year Experience, which assists the Trinity community in shaping existing and new programs and services to serve the educational and transitional needs of new students.