Kate Stenger ’22, gives back to the community through her passion for service.
This summer 25 students were accepted in the CSGC grants program. These grants are funded due to the generous support of the Cost, Earle/Mendillo and Workman families, who established endowment funds to support the community and public service endeavors of future generations of Deerfield students. For more information on these grants please visit: https://deerfield.edu/csgc/grants.
As unemployment rates skyrocketed, families struggled, and people became sick, my twin sister and I knew that we needed to do something. We recognized that service was strongly essential in a time like this, but because of the quarantine, we were not able to serve like we used to. Education, resources, and encouragement is all we could give, and that is what we did. Lauren and I created and sold hoodies to encourage social distancing, to educate others on growing hunger rates, to inform customers on how they can get involved, and to donate all of our profits to provide meals across the country. We named our hoodie Alone Together to remind the community that although social distancing can feel lonely, we stand together during this difficult time.
Lauren and I partnered with Convoy of Hope because we saw the wonders they were doing for this country. They are a disaster relief organization and can provide one meal for a dollar, so we knew it would be a great place to donate our profits. Convoy of Hope is hosting a 10 Million Meals challenge to see how quickly they can raise meals, and right now they have surpassed that goal at a total of over 40 million meals- that is amazing!
Along with donating many meals to starving Americans, Alone Together educates customers on hunger in America and ways we can get involved, especially as teenagers. Our website provides information about Convoy of Hope, but Lauren and I took it a step further and interviewed Kevin Rose, the Senior Director and International Program Partner Relations. We posted the interview on our website so customers can be deeper educated and feel a closer connection to the organization.
What was special about this project was how we were able to get the community involved. It wasn’t just Lauren and I who felt empowered and helpful, but it was every person who purchased a sweatshirt. It was amazing to provide an opportunity for peers to give back. With many thanks to the Workman family and the CSGC for this grant, I was able to pursue a project that impacted the lives of many!
Check out the website: https://www.shopalonetogether.com/
