Two years ago, Misty, a single mother of four children, asked for donations of gently used toys so that she could afford to give Christmas presents to her children.
Jenna Green, a senior at VCU, heard Misty’s story and asked what she was planning for Christmas dinner. Misty didn’t know. Within a couple weeks, Green raised $150 to buy the single mother and her family a full Christmas dinner.
Misty and her story helped inspire the Christmas Grub Fund, said Green.
The Christmas Grub Fund, founded by Green in summer 2009, helps needy families by providing them with food, cookbooks and money-saving tips during the holidays and throughout the year. This Christmas, Green is reaching out to VCU students and asking them to get involved.
One of Green’s goals is to reach families who “fall between the cracks”-middle-income families who are struggling financially, but don’t qualify for government assistance. Some of these people have lost a job, are single parents or are going through hardship.
Currently, the CGF is a conduit through which Green collects monetary donations, canned goods and cookbooks and gives them to various local organizations such as Ronald McDonald houses, women’s shelters and hospitals.
Recently, Green used CGF to collect 50 canned goods that she donated to VCU sorority Sigma Lambda Upsilon for re-distribution.
Her goal, however, is one day to be able to distribute donations directly to the people she is trying to help.
In addition to collecting monetary and food donations, another of Green’s endeavors through the CGF is the “Clean Up Your Kitchen” project through which she encourages people to donate old appliances and gently used kitchen items to people in need.
A sometimes-overlooked aspect of giving food to people is that they don’t always have the utilities to cook what they’re given, she said.
Green uses Facebook, Twitter, a Web site and word of mouth to attract involvement in the CGF.
“I’m always looking for people to help,” she said. “I’ve received a lot of ‘no’s,’ but I’ve gotten so many great ‘yes’s.’ ”
“She talks about it all the time,” said Andrew Craver, a student at John Tyler Community College and friend of Green’s. Though he has only known Green for a little over a month, he has already begun helping with the CGF by helping collect donations and trying to get the company he works for involved.
Shanika Whitley, a junior at Hampton University and friend of Green’s has been working with the CGF for a year. Whitley helps by collecting canned goods, assisting Green in reaching out to the community and coming up with tips to broadcast on Twitter to help people save money while shopping.
This semester, it is also Green’s goal to reach out to the broader VCU community.
In the last month, Green emailed professors asking them to consider giving extra credit to students for donating to the CGF. Several professors have even invited her to speak to their classes.
“A lot of professors are really behind me on this,” she said.
Green has already collected about 500 canned goods from classes she has visited, and she anticipates collecting another 500 more before the semester is over. Many students have given more than was asked of them, she said.
Green makes volunteering with the CGF, “really fun and interactive,” said Whitley. “She’s truly passionate and giving,” she said, and “has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve met.”