By Sarah Gallaher | Staff Writer
With the central theme of generosity, Thanksgiving and Christmas provide opportunities to give back to the community — and at All-University Thanksgiving and Christmas on Fifth, attendees can spread the spirit of giving right here at Baylor.
All-University Thanksgiving, an annual Thanksgiving dinner hosted by the Baylor Student Foundation, emphasizes the importance of giving through the Bear Swipe Share program. Bear Swipe Share collects unused guest passes from students with meal plans to distribute to students in need through The Store — Baylor’s on-campus food pantry.
“[All-University Thanksgiving] is the biggest drive we host for swipes all year,” Lauren da Silva, manager of The Store, said. “We had just over 1,000 swipe donations this past Thanksgiving.”
Despite the many swipes donated at last year’s drive, resources are limited, and The Store does not have enough swipes to keep up with the demand. Da Silva said she hopes this year’s meal swipe drive at All-University Thanksgiving will be an even greater success.
Since food is a big topic during the holiday season, da Silva said people pay more attention to the needs of those who do not have adequate resources.
“Thanksgiving being about gratitude and family and Christmas being about giving — in most people’s minds, I think giving just floats to the top of people’s awareness,” da Silva said. “We do certainly notice an increase in interest around this time of year.”
Another Baylor tradition, Christmas on Fifth, also focuses on the importance of giving during the holidays. Along with a variety of events and activities, it features opportunities with Compassion International.
Baylor partnered with Compassion International in 2020 as part of its Illuminate strategic plan in an attempt to expand the institution’s impact as a Christian research university. Compassion International aims to free children across the globe from poverty through its child sponsorship program, which allows donors to provide a variety of resources for children, including meals, education and healthcare.
Jordy Dickey, director of Student Activities, said Compassion International will highlight its giving opportunities from 5 to 10 p.m. Nov. 30 in the first-floor CUB lounge.
“In years past, it really has been an opportunity to learn more about the organization, to maybe even consider sponsoring a child,” Dickey said.
While Compassion International’s presence at Christmas on Fifth is only one part of the event, Dickey said the spirit of giving still exists in the celebration as a whole, as decorations and other supplies are donated to Santa’s Workshop after the event.
“Christmas on Fifth has always had a giving aspect to it since its very start,” Dickey said. “It really helps us to solidify that this is a beloved tradition, but it helps us get into the spirit of giving as well.”
Dickey said Christmas and giving go hand in hand, and although generosity should exist year-round, the holidays inspire giving within the Baylor community.
“It’s a season of giving, a season of hope, a season of joy,” Dickey said. “So when we see these opportunities to partner with different organizations with giving opportunities, our community responds to that really well.”
