Abilene Christian University president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91) kicked off ACU’s Season of Caring in Chapel on Wednesday, along with Mark Hewitt, founder and executive director of Abilene’s Love and Care Ministries.
This is the second year for students, faculty, staff and local alumni to combine efforts to brighten the holiday season for those in need.
“It’s a great time for the ACU family to come together and help support our community,” Schubert told the audience in Moody Coliseum. “You guys did a fantastic job last year. You gave tremendously and volunteered in amazing ways.”
Hewitt thanked students for their help year-round with his organization, which helps the homeless and poor in Abilene.
“We need ACU,” Hewitt said. “For many, many years, you guys have been a part of what we do in the community.”
The ACU family will have multiple opportunities to join Season of Caring from Nov. 14 to Dec. 14.
ACU is partnering with Love and Care Ministries for several events, starting with a “Mission Thanksgiving” truck that will be parked on campus Nov. 14-18 to collect donations of food, clothing and household goods.
“We served well over 350,000 meals last year,” said Hewitt. “In the last year, we’ve had a 40 percent increase of people we’ve never seen before walk into the front doors. That gives us 100 to 125 people every day walking into the doors of Love and Care ministries.”
Another joint project is “Christmas on the Streets,” with a goal of providing 600 toys to children in low-income neighborhoods.
Other Season of Caring events will include an Adopt-An-Angel project, the purchase of Thanksgiving meals for needy families, and a portrait day during which professional photographers will volunteer to take holiday portraits of low-income families.
Alumni are invited to participate in any activities and also have the opportunity to donate online. For more information on ways to help, see www.facebook.com/seasonofcaring.