During the CoSIDA Convention, CoSIDA's Goodwill Committee coordinated a highly-successful service project- helping feed 2,600 - and donation drive for St. Anthony Foundation.
from Sam Atkinson (Gallaudet University SID), Chair of the CoSIDA Goodwill Committee
SAN FRANCISCO – The 2010 CoSIDA Convention in San Francisco offered more ways for attendees to get into the giving spirit, then ever before, and demonstrate “CoSIDA Cares” as the Goodwill Committee organized efforts to benefit the St. Anthony Foundation, an organization which serves the homeless and needy and assists homeless men - particularly veterans - with drug and alcohol addictions.
The CoSIDA Goodwill Committee ran its first-ever clothing donation drive where over 400 items, ranging from clothing, flash drives to toiletry items, were collected during registration. The committee would especially like to thank the Rose Bowl/Tournament of Roses for donating over 70 clothing items from the
2010 BCS National Championship game that had a retail value of over $5,000. Special thanks to Rose Bowl media coordinator Stephanie Montano for her efforts in assisting us with the donations! CoSIDA also donated all extra convention gifts (water bottles, plastic mugs) to St. Anthony’s.
"I want to thank Sam, the Goodwill Committee and the CoSIDA volunteers for giving their time, energies and focus to the good people at St. Anthony during a hectic Convention week," said Larry Dougherty, 2010-11 CoSIDA President. "Outreach and service are key components in our jobs as college athletic PR, and it was wonderful to personally witness CoSIDA members and their families extending themselves even further."
For the second year in a row Young CoSIDA ran a charity raffle on Tuesday, July 6, with 100 percent of the proceeds donated to the St. Anthony Foundation. The raffle brought in over $400 and an additional check made to the Goodwill Committee brought the total to $515 donated to St. Anthony’s.
"The high number of donated items and financial donations are indicative of the hard work and time the Goodwill Committee - and our Young CoSIDA group - spent raising awareness about the needs at St. Anthony," Dougherty added. "Under Sam's leadership, the Goodwill Committee continues its good work on behalf of CoSIDA, and we are proud of their community outreach and volunteerism."
(Pictured, left: Alan Grosbach of McPherson and Chris Holtz of the California Pacific Conference)
CoSIDA convention attendees who volunteered for the annual service project made the short trek from the Marriott Marquis and walked the clothing and cash donations up the St. Anthony Foundation on Wednesday, July 7. Two mid-day shifts, two-hours apiece, were offered and saw 18 volunteers take time out of their busy convention schedule to give back. CoSIDA members assisted with preparing and serving lunch to over 2,600 guests while others helped to organize and distribute donated clothing. The second shift helped to make bread pudding for an upcoming dessert.
“I was overwhelmed by the generosity demonstrated by this year’s CoSIDA Convention attendees. We were thrilled and touched by the outpouring support we received from the CoSIDA board, CoSIDA members, Young CoSIDA and the Tournament of Roses,” said CoSIDA Goodwill Committee Chair Sam Atkinson of Gallaudet,
pictured, left, with CoSIDA President Larry Dougherty and St. Anthony officials.
“We would like to thank the St. Anthony Foundation for opening its doors to CoSIDA and for letting us help those in need. It is those memories that leave a lasting impression and hopefully inspire others to do more in their local communities year round.”
The CoSIDA Goodwill Committee would like to thank the volunteers who represented their school and/or conference at the service project including: Sam and Emily Atkinson (Gallaudet), Blair Cash (George Fox), Lauren Ferrett (Wellesley), P.J. Gradowski (Detroit Mercy), Alan Grosbach (McPherson), Paula Haughn (Ball State), Jim Heath (Apprentice), Joe and Ali Hernandez (Ball State), Chris Holtz (California Pacific Conference), Tim Kennedy (Gustavus Adolphus), Rob and Trudy Knox (Kutztown), Matt McCollester (Ball State), Jessica Poole (Michigan), Kenisha Rhone (Belmont) and Danielle Wright (Clark Atlanta).
“Our guests really appreciated the CoSIDA volunteers spending time with them and for the generosity shown by the various donations,” said St. Anthony Foundation Group Volunteer Coordinator Dolores Gould. “I am happy that the CoSIDA volunteers helped to change lives for the better here in the Tenderloin [neighborhood]. Personally, one of the things I love best about my job is when a little piece of St. Anthony’s flies out into the world to meet the challenge of poverty with compassion and hope in other cities.”
If you were unable to attend the 2010 CoSIDA convention and would like to make a donation to the St. Anthony Foundation please visits its website at
www.stanthonysf.org or contact Volunteer Coordinator Dolores Gould at dgould@stanthonysf.org or call 415.592.2704.
About St. Anthony Foundation
For 60 years St. Anthony Foundation has provided free, life-sustaining support for the poor and homeless. St. Anthony Foundation’s programs help heal individuals and families by providing a gateway to solutions to poverty, including a Dining Room which serves 2,600 meals every day, an Employment Program/ Technology Lab, Drug and Alcohol Recovery Program, and a Free Medical Clinic. St. Anthony Foundation does not accept any federal, state, or local government money.