St. Stephen’s University is encouraging young people to find the positive amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The university has announced a new Community Appreciation Campaign, an opportunity for young people aged 16-to-24 to nominate community organizations that are working to help during the outbreak, with three submissions earning $500 donations to continue their work.
The three people who submit a winning story will each receive $100 in gift cards to local establishments.
Dr. Margaret Anne Smith, President of the university, says the school is hoping New Brunswick youth will be inspired by the positive stories in their community.
“It’s important to know we can (overcome COVID-19),” she said. “By pulling together as communities to look for hope, to look for inspiration.”
The school is hoping to impart a message similar to that of Fred Rogers, who famously encouraged people to “look for the helpers” amid times of disaster or calamity.
Smith says there are plenty of helpers out during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re hoping to hear about the people who don’t normally get a lot of attention,” she said. “The volunteers in our community don’t volunteer in order to get recognized.”
She listed people who are visiting isolated seniors, creating new food programs, and food banks and soup kitchens that are seeing their numbers grow steeply each day as possible recipients of the campaign.
The campaign opens Wednesday and runs until May 20.
