A Campus-Wide Season of Giving
Community service is a central part of the student experience at The University of Toledo, and the holiday season provided one of the most meaningful opportunities for students to give back. Through volunteerism, students connected their academic and co-curricular experiences to real-world impact, building empathy, purpose and a strong sense of belonging while giving back to the community they call home.
“Knowing these boxes may be a child’s first Christmas gift reminds us that service has no boundaries and that meaningful global impact can begin right here on campus,” said Madison Martinez, Chapter President, Kappa Chapter of Sigma Lambda Gamma.
Many students participated in a coordinated holiday service initiative led by the Office of Student Engagement & Connections (OSEC) in partnership with The Salvation Army.
While each participating University group hosted its own effort, their collective impact resulted in dozens of children receiving holiday gifts. Angel Tree is a holiday assistance program, primarily run by The Salvation Army in partnership with Lucas County Children Services, that provides toys, clothes, and books to children and seniors in need, letting donors fulfill specific gift wishes from “angel” tags.
Student engagement reinforced the University’s role as a community-engaged institution and demonstrated their commitment to the well-being of the city.
Highlights from Holiday Service Across Campus
Throughout the holidays, student organizations, departments, and campus partners led a wide range of service initiatives, from toy and food drives to hands-on volunteering and donation efforts.
UToledo students made an impact through a wide range of holiday service initiatives, including:
- The Bridge Program, hosted weekly Friday service preparing and distributing lunches for individuals experiencing homelessness and participated in Tent City to raise awareness around housing insecurity.
- Service Club × Mission Mental Health, hosted a PODS Food Drive Competition among residence halls, collecting non-perishable food items for a local food bank during finals season.
- Office of Student Engagement & Connections (OSEC) Mom’s Weekend Service Projects, included card- and letter-writing for veterans and a partnership with Greening Toledo Through Service Learning focused on seed collection for future community planting projects.
- American Red Cross Club, hosted quarterly blood drives supporting lifesaving donations for the local and regional community.
- PERIOD at UToledo, which created holiday and inspirational cards and packed donation items supporting menstrual health and dignity.
- College Mentors for Kids, which connected college students with local youth through weekly mentoring activities focused on confidence and academic motivation.
- Catholic Student Association, which assembled donated pizzas to support families experiencing food insecurity.
- Sigma Lambda Gamma, which hosted an Operation Christmas Child wrapping and packing event, assembling shoebox gifts for children around the world.
- Student Organizations and Greek Life, which volunteered at Seagate Food Bank and the Islamic Food Bank of Toledo to support families across the community.
- American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative at UToledo, hosted the Step for Hope: Lung Cancer Awareness Walk to raise awareness and show support for those impacted by lung cancer.
- Pi Sigma Epsilon – Epsilon Delta, hosted a community Trunk-or-Treat event featuring decorated trunks, games, and a safe, family-friendly space for local children.
Beyond individual projects, the holiday season highlighted students’ willingness to step into leadership roles and work together toward a shared purpose.