When a philanthropy event advertised as the “biggest party on campus” gives away free trips to San Diego, New York, Orlando, Fla., and Las Vegas, it’s easy to forget its charitable motives.
But Youth Organizations Umbrella, located just a few blocks from campus, provides a nearby reminder of Suitcase Party’s fundamental purpose.
“Because it has ‘party’ in the name, (Suitcase Party) is immediately dismissed as something for the college students, when in reality we’re a philanthropy working for someone else,” said Louis Levine, Suitcase Party outreach co-chairman.
“I hope people understand that their money is going toward a great cause, because I know that’s why all of us on Suitcase Party committees are doing this,” he added.
YOU is an outreach program that provides guidance and support for youth in local middle schools.
Through efforts such as after-school interest groups, mentoring, crisis intervention and community networking, YOU aims to provide young people with the skills and self-confidence they need to actively participate in the community.
Since the beginning of Fall Quarter, the 10 volunteers on the Suitcase Party outreach committee have mentored students every week at Chute Middle School and Nichols Middle School in Evanston.
“It was a little intimidating at first, just because we’re so far detached from middle school,” said Levine, a Weinberg sophomore. “It’s tough when we’re these big college kids coming in and (being) given authority over them. But we were able to build relationships on things we had in comMonday, like music and games.”
Last January outreach co-chairpersons Levine and Weinberg sophomore Emily Farber planned a Winter Wonderland dance for the YOU kids and the Suitcase Party executive board. The two groups bonded over food, games and dancing.
“In the eyes of our kids, the college students are what they want to be,” said Don Baker, executive director of YOU. “They’re important role models, and they end up forming great connections.”
Suitcase Party hopes to raise about $20,000 for YOU, said Carlos Guzman, a Weinberg junior who serves as executive public relations chairman. He said this year’s executive board sought a smaller charity within the community that would “really benefit” from Suitcase Party’s efforts.
According to Tonya Patterson, YOU’s volunteer coordinator, the money donated by Suitcase Party will be used for Campaign for Youth, a new initiative to help ease the participants’ transition into high school.
Both Patterson and Baker said they’ve noticed NU volunteers’ impact on the kids at YOU.
“We’ve had the best group of volunteers this year,” Baker said. “We’ve gotten a lot of feedback from the teachers and principals at the two schools, and they say the kids are really thriving. They can see a difference.”
Baker said the group has been able to work with more kids because of the increase in committed volunteers.
At its core Suitcase Party isn’t about enticing trips and prizes, Levine said. He said the focus is on the hundreds of hours NU students spend mentoring underprivileged kids.
“The best part has been bridging the gap between us, as college students, and these kids, who are in a very impressionable phase,” Levine said. “We have this direct link with them. It’s not just an idea — (these kids are) who we’re working for.”
