The Gift Of Comfort

Annual Alumni Holiday Reception Promotes Comfort Cases

On Dec. 12, Lynn’s Office of Career and Alumni Connections will host the annual alumni holiday reception in the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center to collect donations for Comfort Cases, a non-profit organization that provides resources and support for children in foster care.

The Office of Career and Alumni Connections aims to engage alumni in on-campus events, and the holiday reception provides a festive opportunity for alumni to visit their alma mater. Last year, 400 alumni attended the holiday reception. 

“We have been doing some different things with the [alumni] programs,” said Laura Gilli, alumni engagement facilitator. “One of the things we’ve been focusing on is the Comfort Cases Citizenship Project. We are utilizing the holiday party to promote the things that the school is doing so that the alumni can feel more connected to the university.”

Founded by former foster child Robert Scheer, Comfort Cases serves foster children by giving them backpacks stuffed with daily necessities. The backpacks contain donated items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, clothes, toys and books. Foster children keep and utilize the backpacks when moving between homes. 

“We are asking alumni to bring baby socks, books and soft toys to donate to Comfort Cases by bringing them to the holiday party so that we can collect the donations in one space,” said Gilli.

Faculty members are also invited to the holiday reception and encouraged to promote the event. 

“If [the Lynn community] knows of any alumni that don’t know of the holiday party, we’d love to have them,” said Gilli. “It is also just awesome to see everyone reconnect with each other.”

The Office of Career and Alumni Connections invites alumni to return to campus in January to pack the items collected at the holiday party into backpacks for Comfort Cases. This spring event is open to anyone from the Lynn community.

For more information on Comfort Cases’ mission and donation opportunities, visit comfortcases.org.

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