Donna Diaz, lab coordinator and faculty adviser for the Quinnipiac Student Nurses Association, Jen Wiemers, Sara Tarsi, Amariliz Jurado, Mackenzie Stowell, Madeleine Cutting, Alisha Galli and Mary Grande, community engagement management at New Reach.
Forty members of the Quinnipiac Student Nurses Association (QSNA) and residents of the Commons Residence Hall recently made 25 fleece blankets and festive greeting cards for the New Reach homeless shelter in New Haven.
“When we discovered New Reach, we knew we wanted to help out in whatever way we could,” said Melissa Dal Pozzo, a senior in the School of Nursing and president of QSNA. “It is our responsibility to treat all individuals we encounter with respect and care. Being involved allows our nursing students to expand their development of compassion towards those who are less fortunate.”
This is the first year QSNA has made blankets for New Reach, but have donated backpacks and supplies to them in the past. In the past, the organization has also made Thanksgiving baskets filled with food and supplies to give to nursing homes in the area. Members uphold the value of teamwork with compassion for others as they strive to achieve their potential as student nurses.
“We cannot continue our mission without the support of the community, such as QSNA, who are willing to help build hopeful futures,” said Mary Grande, community engagement manager at New Reach. “We have a wonderful relationship with the Quinnipiac community.” She added that Quinnipiac received recognition at New Reach’s First Annual Volunteer Recognition event this year.
New Reach’s mission is to inspire independence for those affected by homelessness and poverty through a continuum of housing and support using the most innovative progressive methods. They build hopeful futures for families and individuals who are experiencing homelessness and poverty. They provide stability so individuals and families can become self-reliant as they work to achieve their goals.