Dec. 3 2025 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief
Volunteer students, student employees, staff and faculty showed up for local foster kids Nov. 19 and 20 to create care packages that provide support during the holiday season in an event titled Boxes of Hope. Boxes of Hope was built by Student Engagement and Student Media volunteers with support from Every Child Polk-Yamhill and Reach Northwest, but partnered with many departments across campus: Abby’s House, Division of Student Affairs, Disability Access Services, Resident Hall Association, ASWOU, Veteran’s Resource Center, University Housing, Financial Aid, Center for Professional Pathways, Student Conduct, National Residence Hall Honorary, WOU Fostering Success and the Child Development Center.
The event began in Sequoia Commons for the first day, Nov. 19, and ended in Ackerman 141 Nov. 20. Two randomly selected students — Logan Fay and Yulissa Chavez Cortez — received $250 tuition-based scholarships for participating.
Macy Clemens, program assistant for Student Engagement, built the plans for Boxes of Hope in late summer 2025, which transpired into 178 care boxes from student volunteer sign-ups, including a first-year seminar class discussing habits of happiness.
Scholarship winner Logan Fay is an avid volunteer, working with Western’s Stitch Closet and participating in other charities. “It’s something I really, really enjoy, more than anything. I always sign up for an opportunity to give back when I can,” said Fay.
The care boxes were sectioned into age ranges and gender. Applicants got to pick their age range, then were offered to pick from boxes of items to pack their care packages with. The foster kids will receive a variety of toys, tools and items, including playing cards, stickers, empty journals, colored pencils, fidget toys, combs, toothpaste, wolf plushies, flashlights and water bottles, funded by Student Media, which includes The Northwest Passage, KWOU and the Western Howl. Western’s Child Development Center provided artwork from the children to package alongside a personal letter from each student volunteer.
One letter to a 10-12 year old girl stated: “Hi, I just wanted to let you know that you are amazing, beautiful, and kind! … I know girls at your age can be very unkind and I want you to know that you are amazing and don’t listen to the negative comments, just the positive ones! You got this girl and you are so strong and powerful!”
Another letter, written for a 5-9 year old girl, said: “Always remember, you are special and you are always loved. You are never alone. You have a bright and successful future ahead of you. You are smart and beautiful and you have a very kind heart. You can do anything that you put your mind to.”
The boxes are expected to be delivered over the next couple of weeks as requested in coordination with Every Child Polk-Yamhill.
Wolfie attended the first day of the event, personally handing lots of wolf plushies to student volunteers to pack into their boxes and leaving a very large, wolf-shaped paw print on a personal letter.
“One of the most effective ways to become empowered and to establish purpose in your life is to ask yourself, ‘Who can I help?’ This project and event will set the stage for that question by providing students a chance to help children who are going through one of the most challenging times of their lives,” said the Boxes of Hope informational page on the Western Student Engagement website. “Alongside serving others, students who signed up to participate will gain volunteer experience for their resume, cover letter, and future professional endeavors, and are entered to win a $250 tuition-based scholarship.”
A Boxes of Hope documentary is currently in the works from Student Engagement. The date of release has yet to be announced, but the film involves interviews from Western faculty and volunteers and various shots of the event, as well as the CDC artwork being created by the children.
“We wanted to come out with video footage to showcase the impact that this had on students and the lives they were affecting,” said Clemens.
Following the success of the event, it’s likely that an event such as Boxes of Hope will occur again in the future. Clemens has graduated, but the torch may be passed to inspire a future spark that lights up other opportunities for giving back.
Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu
