Elks National Foundation Blog

by Alexa Vaghenas 2016 Most Valuable Student Scholar, Yale University College students often become enclosed in a sort of "bubble" over the course of four years, wrapped up in their studies and social lives, preoccupied by extracurricular activities and on-campus events. Although this can lead to individual growth, unforgettable experiences, and admirable accomplishment, too often we forget about the greater community around us. On Friday November 18, I volunteered at the New Haven Sunrise Cafe for Elks Scholar Service Days. A freshman at Yale University, I knew it was time to pop the "Yale Bubble" and give back to the small city of New Haven; my new home. As a Sunrise Cafe volunteer, I was tasked with serving breakfast to the homeless. Shifting my sleep schedule a bit to get up at 6:45 on a Friday morning, I walked several blocks to the basement of St. Paul and St. James Episcopal Church and followed the cheery logo of the Sunrise Cafe. In the kitche

by Ashley LaFountain 2013 Legacy Scholar, University of Toledo As part of Elks Scholar Service Days, I served in an event my community holds annually around Thanksgiving, “Box Out Hunger.” While I was the sole Elks scholar participating from the University of Toledo, it was truly amazing to see the impact I, along with nearly 400 other volunteers, were able to make in just a few hours. “Box Out Hunger” is a service event put on by The Cherry Street Mission in Toledo, Ohio that aims to ensure that many Toledo-area residents can have a Thanksgiving meal.  My group was assigned to a warehouse area of the mission and were each given our specific tasks for the remainder of the day. Collectively, we packed 18,000 meals. Tasks were divided into brown-bagging dry goods such as instant mashed potatoes, dressing, and separating turkeys into separate bags with the intention that each family received one bag of dry goods and one turkey. Once the items were bagged, more voluntee

by Chelsea Dennis Programs Assistant Last month, Colleen, Maryann and I took a trip to Elmhurst, Ill., Lodge No. 1531 to see the Lodge’s Impact Grant in action. Working with the Elmhurst-Yorkfield Food Pantry and Dollar Tree, the Lodge provides hygiene and cleaning products to families in need. For many families that use food banks to supplement their meals, there is often a need for hygiene and cleaning supplies. While food banks are able to address hunger, very little is allocated for other items. Recognizing this need, the Lodge stepped in to provide supplies for 50 families monthly using the Impact Grant.  As I helped prepare packages, many of the families spoke of how grateful they were to the Elks for providing this service and how receiving the items took pressure off their limited budgets. Prior to seeing the Lodge’s project, I was unaware that this was a need in some communities. Hearing directly from recipients opened my eyes to how small needs are often overshadowe