FAMU’s Chapter Progressive Black Men Celebrate Thanksgiving in New Orleans
Florida A&M University’s Chapter of Progressive Black Men Inc.,along with a few members of SISTUHS Inc., spent their spent five days giving back to New Orleans communities.
The community service organization dedicates endless hours of hard work and service to the community and campuses.
“The Florida A&M Chapter of PBM decided to go to New Orleans, La., simply because we wanted to help people and animals who were forgotten.” said Jon Owens, the Vice President of PBM. “With all these things going on in the media, we forget what occurred in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and how it impacted its’ community. Also, we wanted to celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary with service like none other.”
The organizations partnered with Ronald McDonald House and the YMCA to deliver Thanksgiving dinners to less fortunate families. The dinners were sponsored by the YMCA and brought smiles to every family in need.
“It felt great to be able to have a positive impact on the families who were not able to celebrate Thanksgiving with a big family or with plenty food on the table,” said Navael Fontus, a member of PBM. “Every home we delivered to the families was so grateful for their dinners and smiles were brought all across their face.”
The following day was spent volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House in New Orleans. The Ronald McDonald House of New Orleans serves as a home away from home for parents of children with illnesses that are in hospitals in the area. PBM and SISTUHS spent the morning doing chores in the home like sweeping, cleaning bathrooms and yard work.
On their last full day in New Orleans the community service organizations dedicated their time to an animal shelter. They walked dogs that had been previously abused or put up for adoption, cleaned kennels and washed dishes to make the jobs of the animal shelter workers easier.
“The animal shelter was my favorite community service activity of the whole trip,” said Kristyn Matthews, a Florida A&M University SISTUH. “At first, I thought I was going to be doing a lot of dirty work, but walking dogs was entertaining. It just felt like I had three temporary pets for a few hours.”
PBM strives to eradicate negative stereotypes placed upon those of African descent as said in their mission statement and in community service. PBM’s next service trip is planned in the Fall after their Annual Service Week.