Aerospace engineering sophomore Ruben Gameros has been buying presents for children in need for four years, an act he said that hits close to home.
“I come from a pretty messed-up family,” he said. “If something were to happen to me, I would want somebody to do the same for my little brother and sister.”
Many students volunteer during the holidays when the spirit of giving is abundant. Statistically, volunteering has been at its highest during this time of the year.
For each student, the reasons for giving back are different, but the ones who continue to volunteer find some sort of personal benefit in the process.
Gameros volunteers with the Salvation Army’s Christmas Angel program during the holidays, which is stationed at malls across the Valley and targets children of needy families.
Children write letters to Santa and put them on a Christmas tree, he said. Gameros and other volunteers each take a list, buy presents and put them back under the tree.
“In my family, there was a Christmas where we didn’t get anything,” he said. “It feels really good when strangers help you out.”
Though he likes participating in the Christmas Angel program, Gameros said he volunteers year-round with other organizations.
“I usually volunteer with the forestry service,” he said. “It’s not usually on the people end – it’s usually on the conservation end.”
Working with children, especially, has been a rewarding experience, Gameros said. He has enjoyed volunteering at ASU, giving kids tours of the Mars facility with his NASA internship.
Nursing sophomore Samantha Mendez also enjoys working with children.
“When I was 15, I was homeschooled and had a lot more time to volunteer,” she said. “I volunteered with the crisis nursery.”
The Phoenix Crisis Nursery, a place where kids from troubled and abusive households go until they can be placed back home or in foster care, was where Mendez said she found her passion for volunteer work.
“There was this one kid that was very angry,” she said. “I was able to help him work on his anger by giving him the one-on-one time he needed.”
The feeling of making a difference was enough to keep Mendez going back for more.
During this holiday season she has already volunteered for fundraisers with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and plans to participate in food drives with her church.
Mendez said she also plans to prepare food for holiday meals for the homeless — the behind-the-scenes work isn’t what everyone wants to do, but it is just as important, she said.
“Especially going to school downtown I see there’s such a large homeless and working-poor population,” she said. “It’s important we get involved, especially when it’s in our community and when we go to school down there.”
Economics and global studies sophomore Kevin Cornwell had a similar experience with the homeless that prompted him to join the national organization StandUp for Kids that helps homeless youth get off the streets.
A native of Denver, Cornwell said he went to downtown Phoenix during the holidays last year and saw all of the people living out on the streets.
It made him want to make a difference helping homeless youth, he said.
“We go out on the street with food packs and talk to homeless kids,” he said. “We develop a relationship with them and help them find ways to get off the street.”
As a volunteer, Cornwell said he always sees more people willing to help over the holidays when they are in the spirit of giving.
“In between holidays is when we need more help,” he said.
The biggest message Cornwell had for ASU students was to get involved by doing something they love.
“If you like basketball, you can volunteer as a coach,” he said. “There’s always going to be something you will enjoy.”
Reach the reporter at ndgilber@asu.edu.
