Greetings Fellow Greater Washington Network Professionals,

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As the holiday season quickly approaches, we want to take this opportunity to give back to those who are less fortunate than us. Many of us will enjoy being with family and friends, wrapping and opening Christmas presents, and having plenty to eat. However, this is not the same story for some local college students who attend Howard University, through the “Deb Moss Project” (EIN 46-2545735).

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As hunger in the United States has worsened, food insecurity—defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a lack of "access to enough food for an active, healthy life"—has arrived on college campuses like never before. According to Feeding America, the country’s largest emergency food assistance network, roughly 10% of its 46.5 million adult clients attend school, including 2 million who are full-time students. Yet despite the prevalence of food insecurity among college students, few on-campus vendors accept food stamp benefits in lieu of other forms of payment (MSNBC.com).

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This year, we are providing care packages to twenty (20) Howard University students who are unable to visit their families during the Christmas break and who have no money to purchase toiletries and food due to their family’s financial challenges. We would like to provide them with gift cards to local restaurants, movie theaters, and department stores. Additionally, we want to supply them with items that will meet their daily hygiene and food needs. Below is a sample list of items that you can place in the care packages:

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SNACKS

• Homemade cookies, rice crispy treats, or brownies

• Tea, hot chocolate, or coffee

• Popcorn (consider sending an air popper)

• Dried fruit

• Nuts

• Cereal or instant oatmeal

• Healthy snack bars

• Ramen noodles

• Mac 'n cheese

• Favorite easy-to-make recipes

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HEALTH AND PERSONAL CARE

• Cold and flu medicine

• Vitamins, vitamin C drink mix, and zinc lozenges

• Lip balm

• Favorite toiletry items

• Quarters for laundry (if laundry facility uses coins)

• Hand warmers (for cold weather locations and seasons)

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FUN STUFF

• Photos of pets, family members, friends, even the neighborhood

• New release or favorite CD or DVD

• Recent local articles about your child’s friends, former school, or clubs

• Recent magazines (consider a subscription mailed to your child’s dorm or apartment)

• Letter and postcard stamps

• Blank, handmade cards and postcards

• Holiday decorations

• Card games such as Uno or Phase 10

• Board and other games such as Bananagrams, Catch Phrase, Apples to Apples, or Cranium

• Magnets for a fridge, or pins or bumper stickers for a corkboard

• Silly items such as glow sticks, kazoos, silly string, or bubbles (provided appropriate items will be used outside)

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ESSENTIALS

• Hand-written note from you

• Letters, cards, or drawings from younger siblings or relatives

• Gift card to a local restaurant, coffee shop, grocery store, or online store

• Cash