LORMAN — Alcorn State University’s Office of Student Engagement shared its resources with a shelter in Vicksburg to help those in need due to COVID-19.

The office donated non-perishable food items to the River City Rescue Mission in late April. The charity prepares three meals per day, feeding between 60-100 people per meal. The charity also sends 50 packed meals to those in the community who cannot come to the facility.

 The items were initially donated to Alcorn’s Brave Market, which was formed by outgoing Miss Alcorn State University Jakhia Gray to help students in need of food or personal items such as toilet paper, paper towels and toothpaste. 

After the students were instructed to stay home for the remainder of the semester following spring break, Devina Hogan, director of Student Engagement said that Shirley Tinner, the office’s coordinator of community service presented her with the idea of donating the goods to a shelter.

“Our office was already researching ways to get our students more civically engaged when Ms. Tinner found the shelter. She called, and they said they’d gladly accept our donations. Being civically involved is not a new concept for us,” Hogan said. “Almost every staff person belongs to a black Greek-letter organization, so giving and volunteering comes naturally for us.”

 With so many people experiencing the effects of the pandemic, Hogan said that helping others is crucial.

 “It’s always a good time to give, but even more so now than ever. This pandemic has revealed a lot about individuals and the world,” she said. “I don’t blame coronavirus for causing anything, but it did reveal that people are in need, and they’re hurting. So for those reasons, we needed to move in the manner that we did through giving.”