For the ninth year, UMB’s Community Engagement Center hosted the Christmas Store in partnership with Foundry Church of Baltimore.
The Community Engagement Center (CEC) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) buzzed with holiday spirit as volunteers and families gathered for the annual Christmas Store. Held at the CEC on Dec. 13 and 14, it featured tables overflowing with brand-name toys, puzzles, and scooters, all neatly arranged for shoppers to purchase at deeply discounted prices.
The Christmas Store is organized in partnership with UMB’s Office of Community and Civic Engagement (OCCE) and Foundry Church of Baltimore. This year, local CBS affiliate WJZ, UMB’s Staff Senate, and the University of Maryland Medical Center joined a Season of Giving campaign to help raise money for the store’s inventory.
“This is the third campuswide fundraising effort this fall, starting with the School ReSupply Drive and Thanksgiving Drive,” explained Brian Sturdivant, MSW, director of strategic initiatives and community partnerships at UMB. “Our campus community has been super-generous during this entire season, which has a big impact on our efforts to support our neighbors in West Baltimore.”
Longtime shopper Paulette Carroll, who has visited the store each of the nine years it has been held at the CEC, found gifts for her granddaughter and her “great, great, great nephews.” “Having the Christmas store here saves a lot of money, and it helps out a lot of people in the community,” she said, noting the savings would allow her to buy Christmas sweaters for her extended family.
Donors contributed to the Season of Giving campaign by providing funds or purchasing full-priced toys through Foundry Church’s online gift registry. Those items were later sold for between $1 and $10, enabling families to personally pick out presents without breaking their budget.