Members of the Circle K Club will be sorting canned food donations into packages for the Los Angeles Food Bank, beginning at 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
“Giving back is a really big part of our club,” club president Daniel Valdivia said. “It’s the holidays and a lot of people are in need and do go hungry during this time of year. We felt that, by doing this event, we could just give back to the community and really connect with the meaning of our club.”
Valdivia, 20, biology major, said that giving back to the community makes a lasting impact in student volunteer’s lives. The event also allows members to connect with the spirit of the holidays.
“It’s really hands on, and they know that they’re making a difference,” Valdivia said. “They know that what they’re doing helps people in need, especially during the holidays when you’re supposed to be grateful for what you have and give thanks for everything. It’s a good event, so we like doing it at this time of year.”
Jolanda Villegas, 23, film major, is participating in helping the food bank. She said that she wants to give homeless people the Thanksgiving dinner that other people are having.
“Most of them are helpless and most of them don’t make enough money to make their own food,” Villegas said. “I think they deserve to have a Thanksgiving dinner like everyone else.”
Dora Dang, 20, Chinese and Asian Studies major, said that the Circle K club is a stepping stone that allows her to give back to people who need the help. She said the group means a lot to her, because she has been volunteering since she was a child.
“We’re very close and you can rely on them,” Dang said. “It’s like a big family that you love going to. You see them every week, hang out with them and are always having fun at events. There’s a lot of organizations we help out with so we’re constantly meeting and working with new people.”