This event is open to the public.
With Small Things We Can Make a Big Impact!
During the time of MESA’s Big Give (December 1-31, 2022), the MESA Family will contribute back to our communities across New Mexico. Engaging in service learning provides us all with the opportunity to become active members of our community and has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Volunteerism enables all of us to acquire life skills and knowledge, helps to build community equity, as well as provides a service to those who need it most.
Join us! MESA students, advisors, families, staff, schools, Board Members, stakeholders, and all others welcome. School projects will be highlighted on our social media platforms and our website.
For 2022, There are (2) Options to Participate…
Statewide Project:
NM MESA Staff will help with a distribution event to benefit the displaced victims of the Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak Fire
- Schools can either collect items prior to the distribution event and get to a MESA Staff Member prior, OR can collect items through the Month of December for later collection/distribution
- Distribution Event will Occur: December 16, 2022; 9 AM – 12 PM at the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Relief Center in Las Vegas, NM
- Needed Items: Toiletry Items, Personal Hygiene, Winter/Cold Items/Gear
- All items will be distributed to the Neighbors Helping Neighbors and the Mora Area Relief Centers
- NOTE: The flyer says North Region School because local schools will help with the local physical distribution, but this project is encouraged STATEWIDE to collect items.
To Receive Credit:
- Teacher Advisors will track who organizes the school collection and/or who donates items
- Teacher Advisors will complete the Big Give Submission Form
Other School Project :
- Complete your Independent School Service Project Sometime Between the Period of December 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022
- Minimum of (1) Hour Service Learning Time Commitment
- Complete On-Line Submission Form by January 13, 2023
For Community Participants: Either complete submission form or submit information to anita@nmmesa.org . We want to share the collective impact of our entire MESA Family.
On-Line Submission Form will Collect:
- Reporting Teacher Advisor Name and Contact Information (email, phone)
- Description of Service and Testimonial
- Hour(s) Completed (Date, Time)
- Picture of Service Completion.
- Ensure a respectful photo. If photo has individuals, all individuals in photo should give permission for use. Please be sensitive to individuals that are receiving service.
- Photo can be of participant(s) doing service, the service itself, the building/location, finished project, etc.
- Preferred: Follow, Tag, and/or Share your Service Learning Experience on your Social Media
- #MESAsBigGiveNM
- Facebook: @newmexicoMESA
- Instagram: @newmexico
Suggestions for Independent Service:
- Organizations still need lots of help over the holidays and are scheduling volunteers and shifting roles to be adequately distanced and COVID-Safe. Arrangements will probably need to be made in advance.
- Complete your service with someone or an organization that has personal significance to you and/or your community.
- Work as a MESA School Group to identify an organization that need’s assistance that can be done individually.
- Our Big Give is a time commitment, but your service may include doing something that collects good for an organization: run/walk for a cause, organizing a toy drive, organizing a food collection, creating animal toys for a shelter, creating care packages for the military, creating overnight bags for foster children placement, collection of goods for a domestic violence program, etc.
- Consider the elderly, a neighbor, or community members that need assistance with outdoor or home tasks: painting, snow removal, firewood, yard clean up, etc.
- Contact local community centers that may need assistance: senior centers, CYFD, social services, animal shelters, homeless shelters, youth centers, etc.
- Consider donating your time to a school clothes closet or food pantry.
- Consider a community clean up. All that is needed are some garbage bags, a mask, and some gloves.
- Consider Food Bank Assistance. To find a local pantry, you can visit: New Mexico Food Pantry Finder @ https://www.foodpantries.org/st/new_mexico. Below are the state food banks (Source: http://www.nmfoodbanks.org/).
New Mexico Food Banks:
P.O. Box 520, Gallup, NM 87305
505-726-8068
http://thecommunitypantry.org/
Services the following counties: Cibola, McKinley
401 South Commercial Avenue, Farmington, NM 87401
505-326-3770
https://echoinc.org/
Services the following counties: San Juan
ROADRUNNER FOOD BANK – ALBUQUERQUE AND LAS CRUCES
5840 Office Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109
505-247.2052
https://www.rrfb.org/
505 S. Main St., Suite, 129 A, Las Cruces, NM 88001
575.523.4390
https://www.rrfb.org/
Services the following counties: Bernalillo, Catron, Chaves, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Luna, Otero, Sandoval, Sierra, Socorro, Torrance, Valencia
THE FOOD BANK OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO – CLOVIS
2217 E. Brady, Clovis, NM 88101
575-763-6130
http://www.fbenm.org/
Services the following counties: Curry, DeBaca, Guadalupe, Quay, Roosevelt
1222 A Siler Road, Santa Fe, NM 87507
505-471-1633
https://www.thefooddepot.org/
Services the following counties: Colfax, Harding, Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos, Union
