From Price staff reports
The holiday season is known as a time for giving — and this past December, students from the USC Price School of Public Policy in Sacramento did their best to carry on that tradition.
Students from the Graduate Policy Administration Community (GPAC) in Sacramento hosted a fundraising event, raising $1,000, and donated the proceeds – along with toys and school supplies – to the Mustard Seed School, a free private school for local homeless children. The event was co-hosted by the Price School in Sacramento and the USC Alumni Association.
The fundraiser has become an annual tradition for GPAC’s Sacramento students. Each year, they organize a winter charity event to benefit a nonprofit. In the past, donations have been made to organizations such as the Sacramento Children’s Home and WEAVE (Women Escaping A Violent Environment).
For this year, Adriane Lepage, master of public administration student and nonprofit chair of GPAC, selected the Mustard Seed School.
“Mustard Seed School provides an education to homeless children who would otherwise not have access due to a myriad of issues related to their homelessness,” Lepage said. “As USC is an educational institution, all staff, students, alumni and faculty know the value of education — and giving to this organization would help pass this love of learning on to homeless children.”
In addition, Lepage noted how rewarding it was to be “part of an institution with a clear dedication” to helping improve people’s lives. “Students here have always demonstrated a great sense of pride and commitment in giving back to our community,” she said.
Scott Steele, program administrator of the Price School in Sacramento, agreed.
“With an interest in becoming leaders in the public sector, our Sacramento students understand and appreciate the many needs that exist in the local community,” he said. “Most of them enter the program with impressive resumes in terms of nonprofit work, internship and/or volunteer experience. Continuing their generous charitable activities while they are in school not only by themselves, but also reaching out for support from the entire Trojan Family in the Sacramento area, speaks volumes about their commitment to community values and their desire to have a positive impact.”