The holidays are quickly approaching, and hundreds of Athens-area children already received a special gift.
More than 1,000 University of Georgia students took 500 elementary school kids shopping last weekend for the 15th year of Shop with a Bulldawg, a student-run event that first started in 2009.
Children in Athens-Clarke County spent the day getting to know UGA student mentors while playing games, eating lunch together and shopping at Walmart for gifts, such as clothes, board games, jewelry and sports equipment. Each child received $120 to spend as they wish.
Credit: Rachel Sandstrom
Credit: Rachel Sandstrom
Noah Thrasher, 9, used his money to purchase upgrades for one of his favorite video games, Fortnite, and he bought gifts for his dad and brother. One of his mentors, UGA junior Abby Sims, said Noah was an awesome mentee and that SWAB’s impact on the community is “letting kids be kids.”
“It’s just such an awesome thing to see the community come together,” Sims said.
Mike Kass, a UGA graduate student, returned to volunteer for the third time and also was paired with Noah. He said it is important for him to give back to the community because of his experience working with kids in foster care.
Kaimet Haile, executive director of the nonprofit, said she is beyond appreciative of the hard work put into this year’s event day from the mentors, executive board members, volunteers from the county and others. The commitment and passion for the Athens community made event day possible “through the pouring rain, through the cold,” Haile said.
Credit: Rachel Sandstrom
Credit: Rachel Sandstrom
For UGA students like Sara Hoover, co-director of recruitment for the nonprofit, the planning for event day started a year in advance. Part of the event was hosted at Cedar Shoals High School.
“I like seeing all our hard work come to fruition,” Hoover said. “It’s so cool to see the sheer amount of people that came.” She explained that SWAB not only impacts the children of Athens, but it impacts UGA students by broadening their view of the community.
”This way, I get to see the community that surrounds us; the children that go to school maybe five minutes away from where I go to school,” she said.
Credit: Rachel Sandstrom
Credit: Rachel Sandstrom
Spanish-speaking children were paired up with Spanish-speaking mentors. This felt personal for first-year mentor and UGA junior Danna Cervera, who said she didn’t know English when she came to the United States at 11 years old. She said she appreciated that the organization gives children equal opportunity to buy gifts.
“I feel like everyone is just very inclusive and, like, you don’t know what the kid has experienced or what background they have,” Cervera said.
The children also received a drawstring bag with free school supplies and books at the end of the day.
If you’re interested in getting involved, visit the SWAB website.
Rachel Sandstrom is a Fink Fellow in the University of Georgia Journalism Writing Lab’s Covering Poverty project.
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Credit: undefined
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