For the second year in a row, HCC students worked together to help those in need thanks to the encouragement of HCC sociology instructor Daniel Madron.
Through his efforts, Madron and his students cooked and served Thanksgiving dinner to 800 people at three locations: Lifehouse West in Hagerstown, the Salvation Army, and the Community Action Council (CAC).
According to Madron, students began by fundraising in the community for food supplies and donations. After the initial fundraising, students went to Lifehouse West where they provided some of the supplies and helped serve lunch and dinner on Nov. 22. On Nov. 23, students went to the Salvation Army where they provided, prepared, and served food and followed that event by providing 12 Thanksgiving dinners to needy families through the CAC.
“This event is really amazing,” says Madron. “It’s great for students because they
are not only helping the community but they are learning about things we discuss in class. It’s very important to me that our students have this exposure to the real world and that we are able to help so many people.”
Madron, who began teaching at HCC in 2010, believes that one of the greatest underserved populations in the United States is the homeless and has been working to help those in need since his days as an undergraduate at Eastern University in Philadelphia, Pa. As a teacher, Madron says that he wants his students to experience sociology firsthand and encourages them to do so by raising money, seeking food donations, and helping serve those in need.
“We as a community need to help those who are less fortunate, especially around the holidays,” says Madron. “The holidays are a time when many of us are enjoying amazing food, spending time with friends and family, and generally feeling warm and loved. We need to spread those feelings to others.”
Madron says that approximately 70 sociology students participated in the project this year. He plans to do a similar project in April around the Easter holiday.