Students bring holiday spirit to area families

January 2018     No Comments

(Left to right) Alexandra Meislin, Julia St. Louis, Alexis Carey (students and members of the Allied Health Club), Diana DiPrimo (Executive VP of Operations for the Oneida Square Project and Office Manager of the SUNY Poly College Association), and Jewel Smith-Williams (student and member of the of Allied Health Club). (Photo by Lynne Browne)

Students from SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s (SUNY Poly’s) Allied Health Club who are majoring in Psychology and Sociology helped make the holidays a little brighter for area families through support of a toy drive for the Oneida Square Project Black Friday Sale.

Now in its fifth year, the Oneida Square Project works with different social agencies to hold an event for families in need of a hand-up during the holiday season, selling the new items that have been donated on Black Friday at 80% off the retail price. The agencies refer the individual families to the Oneida Square Project and those families then receive an invitation to attend the event where they are able to purchase from the selection of toys that have been reduced in price. 

Though the sale event has occurred for five years now, this was the first time that SUNY Poly students have been involved. Students from the Allied Health Club (formerly known as the Psychology-Sociology Club) contacted the Oneida Square Project Executive Vice President of Operations, who is also Office Manager for the SUNY Poly College Association, and wanted know how they could help.  

The students spent several weeks collecting toys and gifts for children and teenagers up to 18 years old, with collection boxes set up in the College Association, the SUNY Poly Bookstore, the University Police office, the Nursing Department, and one box in Residential Life. Students from the Allied Health Club also served as volunteers at the event itself on Black Friday.

This year’s Oneida Square project Black Friday Sale served more than 250 area children.

“I was overwhelmed and extremely grateful. The students not only organized the toy drive, but they also came and helped set up the event and worked it,” said Diana DiPrimo, Executive Vice President of Operations for the Oneida Square Project and Office Manager for the SUNY Poly College Association. “The format of the event creates a sense of dignity for the families where they’re able to come and choose the gift for their child as opposed to someone giving them something. They’re paying for it, so they still get to provide for their family.”

The Oneida Square Project is an organization dedicated to addressing the needs of the community and transforming the area known as Oneida Square in downtown Utica. The group organizes a variety of events to help build, develop, and foster the community.