Take My Hand success leads to infectious generosity
Even though she knew it was coming, Lauren Migliorino still had to catch herself from getting emotional a few times.
Seeing the reality of Take My Hand has often caught the sisters of Bloomsburg University’s Sigma Sigma Sigma chapter off guard during their journey through parts of New York City. It wasn’t the first nor last time.
“I’ve definitely held back tears numerous times,” said Migliorino, Tri Sigma’s recruitment director who also coordinated the Take My Hand project this year. “When you do good for others, you feel better about yourself and your purpose.”
In its fourth year, the volunteer project created by fellow sister Lena Kaback ’18 serves as a way for the sorority to cap off the fall semester and bring much needed holiday cheer to the city homeless before the sisters head home for winter break.
The project has grown each year and even garnered national attention two years ago in Tri Sigma’s national magazine, Triangle.
“I think the most memorable thing about this year’s project was being able to make a difference, even though it might be small,” Migliorino said. “I think as humans we forget that we ourselves can’t completely change the world, but when people can band together and do something for the greater good, that’s when change takes place.”
Tri Sigma kicked off this year’s project with a GoFundMe to raise money for bus travel to New York City for the group of sisters, totaling about $900, according to Migliorino.
“Raising that money was vital to us, because we had to make it into the city in order to do all of this,” Migliorino said. “We realized that clothing was a more difficult thing to hand out due to sizing, so we opted for more pillows and blankets. We also focused on hats and gloves, because they are more universal. We had a bunch of gift cards to McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts to hand out as well.”
Migliorino added, “A lot of our donations come from fellow students. Our alumni also help us raise a lot of our money, and they put together little care packages each year with things such as feminine hygiene products, tooth brushes, granola bars, etc. None of this would be possible without the amazing support system we have.”
Tri Sigma’s now annual presence in the areas of Manhattan where homelessness is prevalent has started to influence others. Migliorino added that a lot of the homeless were telling the sisters how many more people have taken part in donating to them, whether that be giving them gift cards or blankets.
“This project impacts us in ways I could never have imagined,” Migliorino said. “I think it’s so easy to get caught up in our college lifestyle in Bloomsburg and forget what goes on outside of this town. It’s such a humbling experience to be able to take our donations provided by the Bloomsburg community and hand them out to who really needs them most. Being able to do this event as a sisterhood strengthens us and reminds us what we are here to do.”







