Anaid Hernandez knows what it is to serve others.
Every month, she has been one of about 50 volunteers who show up at the CRSM parking lot to fill the cars of about 500 families at pop-up food banks held in partnership with the Northern Illinois Food. With her son, Joshua, a freshman, at her side, she is a valued member of the team dedicated to helping ensure our Lake County neighbors have the food they need to thrive.
“We really wanted to help people in our area who are suffering during these hard times,” said Hernandez, a North Chicago mother of two who works full-time as a waitress.” I also want to raise my children to help others too.”
The mother-and-son duo’s works of good speak volumes about the 150-plus CRSM students, staff and their families who have volunteered 970 hours this semester.
A community of big hearts
While there are no requirements for CRSM students to volunteer, many are passionate about serving the community and giving back. In addition to the parking lot food distribution, milestones during the last four months included:
- Three times a month Wednesday evening packing food at the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Park City.
- Packing food twice a month at Feed My Starving Children in Libertyville
- Rise Against Hunger food packing
- Catholic Charities gift program
“We’re incredibly proud of our students and grateful to stand with our parents and other family members who’ve been coming out to help our community,” said Jim Dippold, Director of Campus Ministry. “This is what we are about at CRSM: seeing the needs in the world around us, hearing the call to reach out with generosity and acting with one another to make the world a better place.”