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Dallas Hopper is a Southern Illinois University Edwardsville sophomore whose major is at the moment undecided. However, she loves children and helping people, and was excited to attend SIUE’s Fall 2015 Volunteer Fair. 

 “The purpose of the Volunteer Fair is mutually beneficial to students, faculty, staff and the attending nonprofit agencies,” said Sarah Laux, assistant director of Civic Engagement at SIUE’s Kimmel Student Involvement Center. “The students and SIUE community have the opportunity to learn about the countless volunteer opportunities available at area nonprofits. This fair also provides the participating nonprofits with greater access to the SIUE community to showcase their volunteer opportunities and make connections with students.”

Approximately 40 vendors participated in Wednesday’s fair.

“I want to do all of them. I just love volunteering,” said Emilee Hug, a sophomore majoring in psychology. “I enjoyed learning about Caritas Family Solutions. They are an adoption and foster parent agency. My heart is to be a foster parent or adopt one day.”

“There are a lot of good agencies here,” Hopper said, “but I’m particularly interested in the Good Samaritan House. They are helping people in need by making blankets and providing basic necessities.”

The Good Samaritan House in Granite City can house 10 families at a time, which consist of mothers and up to 30 children, said Janice Donaldson, executive director and SIUE alumna, with a bachelor’s and master’s in social work in 2008 and 2009, respectively.

“I enjoy coming to the Volunteer Fair, because SIUE community always receives us so well, and we can find people who want to help,” Donaldson said. “We are not just a shelter for women and their children. Each family has their own bedroom.

“We provide workshops, teach life skills, offer mock job interviews, parenting classes and budgeting classes, help mothers get their general equivalency degree and more.”     

“We had a great event this year,” Laux said. “Students were eagerly seeking ways to become more involved in the surrounding community and provide service to others.”

Photos:

Janice Donaldson, executive director at the Good Samaritan House in Granite City and SIUE alumna, explains some features of the homeless shelter to a student. 

Cathy Spahn, volunteer coordinator with World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Mo., tells students about Coal, a great horned owl. Looking on from left to right are: Emily Hug and Dallas Harper, both sophomores.

Allison Menchak, graduate assistant with The Campus Kitchen at SIUE, offers a rice crispy snack to Farzeen Sristy, freshman Industrial Engineer major.