Giving Day funds make a difference by funding summer outreach programming

By: Caroline Whitlow
Creative Services Student Writer

Last year, 326 separate gifts benefitted the College of Health and Behavioral Studies Fund, adding up to just under $10,000.  

Giving Day was held March 13, 2018

The Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services (IIHHS) utilized its portion of the funding to support summer camp programming for Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Program (SVMEP) and Future Forward.

SVMEP, a branch of the Virginia Migrant Education Program, serves public school students whose families have moved within the last three years to work within the agriculture or raw food processing industry. Students come from all over the world, speak a variety of first languages and benefit from the academic support of volunteer tutors.  Future Forward focuses on the Spanish-speaking population and places fifth and sixth graders with a bilingual advocate who conducts home visits and provides interpretation services.  Volunteer tutors also work with clients of Future Forward.

IIHHS strives to support families in need beyond the academic year. For children enrolled in SVMEP and Future Forward, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) camps provide valuable summer enrichment and a healthy environment promotes curiosity and confidence.

“These programs have offered summer camp experiences in the past.  We are pleased to benefit from Giving Day funds as a guarantee that we’ll be able to run more camps this summer with new and improved features,” said IIHHS Director Rhonda Zingraff.

JMU students, who play a major role in SVMEP and Future Forward as volunteer tutors during fall and spring semesters, serve as counselors during summer camp sessions.

“We involve students who are doing summer internships at IIHHS, and we search for summer classes or labs whose faculty might want to partner with us in some way,” said Zingraff.  “The camp is a way for JMU to keep offering positive resources to the young people in the programs in the summer, when they are out of school and when our campus population dwindles too.”

This year’s Giving Day will take place on March 13, 2018. You can support IIHHS community outreach initiatives by donating to the College of Health and Behavioral Studies Fund.  Donations can be made online or by phone at (855)568-4483.  

Last year's Giving Day was an overwhelming success.