Eastern Gateway, Kiwanis team for Project Backpack

SEE ALSO: Eastern Gateway Community College seeks Valley site to call home

By DENISE DICK

denise_dick@vindy.com

Youngstown Eastern Gateway Community College freshman Sean Moffo thinks it’s important to give back.

That’s why the general studies major from Youngstown, along with other members of EGCC’s newly formed Student Senate, got involved with the Kiwanis Club for Youngstown’s community service project.

The project is part of the Ohio Kiwanis, Ohio First Lady’s Project: Project Backpack.

“Any project that gives back to the community is important,” Moffo said. “Youngstown is really struggling now.”

The students spent a portion of Friday afternoon filling EGCC backpacks with toiletries, toys, books, diapers, pens, school supplies and other items.

“There are 12,000 children in all [Ohio] counties that are displaced from their homes because of emergencies,” said Rachael Ramps, president of the Youngstown Kiwanis.

The filled backpacks will be delivered to Job and Family Services departments for distribution to the children who need them.

Ramps said Kiwanis selects a project annually, but it’s always something that benefits children.

Mya Hason, Eastern Gateway Valley Center coordinator, is a Kiwanis of Youngstown member. The students wanted to get involved in a project, and Hason found EGCC bags in a cupboard at the center that she believed would work well.

Hason said the group hopes that the backpacks will go to children in the counties from which EGCC draws students: Mahoning, Columbiana, Trumbull and Jefferson.

The students spread the items from toys and toiletries to books, combs, diapers and notepads across a table on the second floor of the YMCA downtown, where Kiwanis conducts its monthly meetings, and filled the packs.

“It’s helping the kids that are in need,” said Ta’knia Washington of Youngstown, a freshman studying health/information technology.