Several students from Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA) came together to give back to their community and make sure local students had much-needed supplies.
Members of the Student Occupational Therapy Association at the Ann Arbor university rallied together to support Estabrook Elementary through a school supply drive. Their efforts provided essential resources for young learners and fostered a sense of unity and empathy among the students.
In the spirit of generosity and community, the occupational therapy (OT) students launched the school supply drive with the goal of ensuring every child at the elementary school started the school year with the tools they need to succeed.
“This would put a financial burden on the teachers, and it highlighted the lack of resources and school essentials families were not able to provide for their school-aged children,” said CUAA student Fasiha Asad.
“To address this prevalent need, I thought it would be an incredible opportunity to give back to the community I currently reside in, and provide elementary school children with school supplies and teachers with materials they need to run an efficient and safe space in their classrooms.”
Asad spearheaded the initiative, which began as a small idea but quickly gained momentum. Having grown up in Chicago, she witnessed classmates who couldn’t afford to purchase school supplies. Oftentimes, teachers would step up to help by spending their own money to purchase supplies, she explained.
The school supply drive ran from Aug. 14 through Sept. 1 and garnered widespread support from students across campus. Donation boxes were placed in various locations on the CUAA campus, making it convenient to contribute.
CUASS officials said the response was overwhelming with donations of backpacks, notebooks, glue, crayons, and other essential school supplies surpassing initial expectations.
“We received two full donation boxes and another tote bag full of supplies, it was enough to help multiple families,” Asad said.
The impact of the drive goes beyond the tangible items collected. It serves as a reminder that community support and empathy are powerful tools for creating a brighter future for all. It taught contributing students valuable lessons about giving back and the importance of social responsibility.
Officials said this service mindset is built into the OT curriculum at Concordia Ann Arbor and is something that sets the program apart from others. It is one of the only Christian OT programs in the state of Michigan and places a high priority on developing students professionally and holistically.
“Our OT program values giving back to those in need and doing whatever we can to promote healthy and meaningful occupational participation,” Asad said. “A takeaway that we learned from our pediatric courses this summer is how prevalent play and participation are for children of school ages. In order to participate in both of those things, materials are required in school settings, so what better way to support that than donating what we can.”
CUAA’s OT program prepares students to graduate as clinicians who are passionately committed to recognizing the dignity of all human beings through participation in valued occupations, and resilient and creative problem solvers prepared to rise to the challenges of a changing world.