By Connie White

Tom Thompson spent the morning of June 2 organizing kitchen supplies and cleaning the indoor splash pad at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI).

For him, the University of Nebraska Foundation’s Day of Service is personal.

His daughter, Marissa, 18, received speech and occupational therapy at MMI early in her life and attends Camp Munroe at MMI, which provides advocacy and services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This spring, Marissa, who has Down Syndrome, graduated from Westside High School and will continue to visit MMI as part of the Transition program through her high school that will enhance her semi-independent life skills and further develop her job skills through pre-vocational services.

“I love being over here at MMI,” said Thompson, senior director of development for UNMC. “I have a daughter who has benefitted from all the work that they do. If there is even one thing I can do to help the staff who are so focused on the kids and the people they’re helping every day, I’m happy to do it.”

On June 2, foundation employees celebrated the organization’s 87^th birthday by planting flowers and pulling weeds, organizing the shelves at student food pantries and writing letters of support to first-generation students, as well as other activities. As part of Day of Service, employees assisted 20 university affiliates and organizations with projects at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Nebraska at Kearney and UNMC.

The University of Nebraska Foundation was established June 3, 1936, as a private, nonprofit organization to serve the university system. The annual service day, in its eighth year, was created to celebrate and commemorate the foundation’s founding.

Before foundation employees fanned out across the campuses, Brian F. Hastings, president and CEO of the University of Nebraska Foundation, expressed his gratitude during a morning staff meeting held via Zoom.

“Thanks for what you do each and every day for the University of Nebraska,” Hastings said. “Whether you’ve participated in Day of Service before, or you’re a newer employee doing this for the first time, it’s great to have you.”

Kristen Rock, director of donor experience and recognition, spent her morning making candygrams for high school students participating in summer camps as part of UNL’s Nebraska College Preparatory Academy (NCPA). She and other volunteers attached KitKats, Starbursts and packages of gum to posters with messages such as “You Are Awesome!” and “You Are a Super Star!!!”

NCPA is a college access program that prepares first-generation students from income-eligible families for college and their future careers. NCPA’s college scholars receive full financial assistance to pay the cost of college, including tuition, books, room and board, and fees.

“I love helping this incredible program through our Day of Service. I’m so happy to welcome these summer students to campus with these candygrams. It’s an opportunity to give back and be creative,” Rock said.

Jasmine Alexander, assistant director of development for UNMC, volunteered in the Maverick Food Pantry on the UNO campus.

She and other employees unloaded food and stocked the shelves of the pantry, which serves the UNO, UNMC and College of St. Mary communities.

“The community service project gave me the opportunity to see the work we do at the foundation come to life,” Alexander said. “It motivated me to want to do more for the Maverick Food Pantry and encourage others to know how significant their contributions to this program can be for years to come.”