St. John's University Athletics
Women's Basketball Partakes In Two Community Service Events
12/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 15, 2007
QUEENS, N.Y. -
The St. John's women's basketball team took some time off from the basketball court this week and gave back to the area by participating in two community service projects.
On Tuesday night, six players from the team went to the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Men's Shelter in Queens and served dinner to the homeless. The players stayed for about two hours conversing with the men.
"They really enjoy the service piece that comes along with the University and they had a great time," said Director of Women's Basketball Operations Jackie Smith. "The student-athletes really enjoyed it. They love interacting with people and giving back to the community and this is one of their ways to make a difference."
On Saturday, seven players from the team participated in the St. John's Bread and Life Soup Kitchen's "Sponsor a Family" program. The initiative supplies approximately 2,100 families in need with a full Christmas meal, including a turkey, stuffing, bread, vegetables, and other food products, and also provides the family with presents.
The team arrived in Brooklyn at 8:30 a.m. and partook in the first stage of the process, helping to organize all the collected items for packaging and distribution. There were more than 100 people involved in the project on Saturday and the number of volunteers grows with each step. On Sunday the items are packed and are then distributed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Sponsor a Family is a program where we get the opportunity to help over 2,100 families," said Tori Migliore of St. John's Campus Ministry. "The families register through the soup kitchen for a meal and age and gender appropriate toys so they can celebrate the holidays at home with their families. St. John's is always a big part of the program and having the student-athletes here today, especially around Christmas, is a really wonderful thing. It connect so much with the mission of St. John's, but it also reminds us of our own blessings and how much we are in communion with everyone around us."
"For our team to be able to come here and give back for the holidays is really rewarding," Smith said. "It gives the athletes an opportunity to reach out the local community and make a difference by giving back. We like working together and helping others, and that's what we are all about."