Saturday’s TAMIU Make A Difference Day Addresses World Hunger, Local Beautification
On Saturday, Nov. 2, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) students, faculty, and staff will spend their Saturday morning helping create a “World of Difference” in their local community, and beyond.
This year, volunteers will gather together at the Outlet Shoppes of Laredo to help package over 100,000 meals for children facing starvation. The initiative is a partnership with “Feed My Starving Children,” an international organization focused on ending hunger for children around the world.
The day of service is part of the TAMIU’s annual commemoration of Make A Difference Day 2019.
According to the organization’s website, the mobile packs, or “MannaPacks” are designed to not only address hunger but also help prevent stunting – an irreparable condition that inhibits the proper growth of children and brain development.
Additionally, students will also partner with a local environment group, “Keep Laredo Beautiful” on several beautification projects in the downtown area.
Both projects help celebrate and contribute to the student-led goal of completing 50,000 service hours as part of the University’s 50thAnniversary year.
Organized through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement (SCCE), and TAMIU’s Student Government Association L.O.V.E. Committee, Saturday’s event promises to help make a lasting impact both in the local community and throughout the world, explained Consuelo Guzman, L.O.V.E. Committee chair.
“Our community’s quality of life is important to our University. As an international university, our community includes the rest of the world. Whether through one-day or year-round service, our students learn the importance of engaging in the community to become better servant leaders and develop a long-term commitment to social change,” explained Guzman.
This year’s community partners include Feed My Starving Children, TAMIU professor of Education Dr. Tonya Huber, The Outlet Shoppes of Laredo, Laredo Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Keep Laredo Beautiful.
Since 2010, TAMIU students have worked on various community-wide projects benefiting groups such as Habitat for Humanity, Volunteers Serving the Need, the Laredo Animal Care Facility, the Azteca Neighborhood, Ruthe B. Cowl and many more.
For additional information, contact the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement at 956.326.2265, or visit offices in the Student Center, room 226. To learn more about past Make A Difference Day projects, visit https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/madandtbe.shtml.
Throughout 2019-2020, TAMIU is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and its 25th Anniversary at its north Laredo campus. A dedicated website shares the University’s transformation from a hybrid upper-level university to a full doctoral degree-granting University. It traces the University’s history, shares its impact in personal stories and includes a calendar of Anniversary events at tamiu.edu/50.
For additional information, contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu, click on tamiu.edu or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.
