UniDay, a student club at Oakwood High School now in its second year, is organizing a community-wide effort to help those in need. The second annual Jacks Give Back will be held Friday, April 16 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the Alumni Plaza, just outside Oakwood Junior High on Schantz Ave.

Community members are invited to donate non-perishable food, snacks, personal hygiene items and cleaning products that will be made into care packages for residents moving into the Lakewoods Apartments.

“It is more important than ever to take part in community-wide efforts. After the lockdown, it is necessary to re-establish a sense of community that may have been absent during the past year. With Jacks Give Back, we are aiming to bring community members together in a safe way for a common cause,” Katie Griffith, a founding UniDay member, said.

Community members can drive by and drop off their donations to student volunteers, who will be following social distancing and mask guidelines.  Care packages will be made for residents of the Lakewoods Apartments, a low income housing complex, usually occupied by the elderly and people with disabilities.

“Last fall, UniDay helped serve monthly community dinners to those at Lakewoods Apartments. During one of the dinners, the head of the apartment complex told us many of the residents would go days before admitting they did not have enough food or supplies to sustain themselves. So, when we decided to organize our Jacks Give Back event this spring, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to donate items to the residents.  Hopefully, our contributions will increase the accessibility of food and supplies to those who need help,” Sara Joly, a founding UniDay member, said.

Thanks to support from many local businesses, anyone donating three or more items will receive a ticket to enter a raffle for various prizes.