The station for “Kindness Grams” was set up in the Lawrence Hall Lobby from Monday to Thursday, Nov. 7 from 10 to 1 p.m. Organized by the on-campus organization Point Park Cares, the brand-new event also involved cross collaboration. Bags of candy were prepared with handwritten notes provided by Campus Cursive.  One bag cost $2 and three bags were $5. 

President of Point Park Cares Lauren Reuther, a sophomore psychology major, said that the fundraiser was aimed to raise money for T-shirts for when the club volunteers at events and for volunteers to “look more like a team.”   

Allie Marker, a sophomore psychology major, is the treasurer for Point Park Cares. 

“It’s helping us to eventually have enough money for T-shirts, at the end of the semester,” Marker said. “Plus, we’d like to just keep with the kindness aspect of our club, and a lot of them are able to be donated to the Wood Street Commons.”

Rain Diaz is a freshman this year and stopped by the station twice to buy Kindness Grams for his friends in need of kindness. 

“I did one, two days ago for a friend of mine who’s been going through a lot of personal stuff, with a loss,” Diaz said. “So, I saw this and I just thought of all the people that I know and who might need one. Today I want to do another one for a friend I feel is struggling with…mental health…I just figured maybe people could use a little something.”

Kyla Dean is also a freshman and was very supportive of the idea and purpose of the Kindness Grams.

“I know especially there’s a lot of freshmen that are kind of struggling this specific time of the semester…I guess I’m getting these to send to a specific friend,” Dean said.

“I think that it’s just nice to be able to have the option to give your friends something…not everyone is able to do something so little to just give to their friends, and it can make a big difference in somebody else’s life,” Marker said. 

Point Park Cares is a new organization that was created last semester.  Its purpose is to provide students with the ability to become involved in the community and make connections. 

Reuther said that she thought about creating Point Park Cares since her first semester at Point Park in her Intro to Community Engagement class.

“We would go over to the Wood Street Commons as a part of our class,…but after the class ended I wanted to continue going there and bring other students there too,” Reuther said. 

Point Park Cares is looking to hold the event again next semester due to its success this first time around.