The Office of Family and Civic Engagement gave students the opportunity to give back to their community by making sandwiches for the Hope Center.

The event attendees were able to make sandwiches for homeless people, which were then delivered to the Hope Center at Frazee Hall on the University of Kentucky’s campus on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

The Hope Center was founded in 1993 in Lexington, Kentucky, to establish a 24-hour comprehensive facility that aids the city’s homeless population and provides rehabilitation opportunities, according to the Hope Center Organization. 

Junior neuroscience major Adreonna Rainey, a family and civic engagement intern, said she was in charge of the event. 

Rainey informed the attendees about the Hope Center and Lexington’s homeless population before beginning the event. She said she did this so students would understand why they were there and why the event was important.

“Homelessness increased over 30% compared to 2024,” Rainey said. “I just think that this is another event, an opportunity for us to address different barriers in the community.”

The attendees packed each brown bag with food and wrote encouraging messages, such as “You got this” or “We love you” on each bag before shipping them to the Hope Center.

However, Rainey said this was not her first time giving back to homeless people. Along with her fellow attendee, Kya Washington, a junior merchandising, apparel and textiles major, drove around Lexington, giving pizza to homeless people.

According to Washington, seeing the genuine joy on the faces of those she supported inspired her to start volunteering.

“If you were in that situation, you would want help,” Washington said. “Treat others how you want to be treated.”

The event interested students like Rainey and Washington, who said they wanted to find a way to give back. Russell Van Liew IV, a sophomore marketing major, said he has spent his life volunteering in places such as soup kitchens.

According to Van Liew, volunteering has allowed him to see true happiness on the faces of those in need. He said homeless people should always feel special and welcome.

“That could be me being homeless,” Van Liew said. “I volunteer to show my appreciation because I’m at a great school and I have all the things that they don’t have, so I should give back to my community.”

While Van Liew was attracted to the event because he loves volunteering, some students across campus have personal connections to the homeless and want to do their part, said freshman economics and finance major Monye Williams.

“I know people who have been homeless and that makes it very personal to me,” Williams said. “I feel like everybody deserves a home, food and shelter, so this is helping me be able to give back.”

Williams said she looks for every opportunity to give back, whether making food at events like this or simply raising money.

According to Williams, society needs to realize that homelessness is temporary, people are still people at the end of the day. She said as a community, we need to learn this and step up.

“These are still normal people that lead normal lives and homelessness is just a circumstance,” Williams said.

Williams said events like this help fight the stigma surrounding homeless people, teaching students they should give back to their community.

“I feel like everyone should be given a fair chance,” Williams said. “I wouldn’t look at anybody who has less than me like they’re less than me.”