The office of Student Engagement and Activities (SEA) of San Jacinto College South Campus is organizing a stocking stuffer drive to collect donations for the Boys and Girls Harbor in LaPorte, a non-profit organization that offers a stable group home environment to children between the ages of 5 and 18 years of age.

SEA Coordinator Daniel Byars said the drive is a service learning activity where San Jac students enhance their education by participating in opportunities to serve and connect with others outside of the College.

“This drive is one of the first community service projects our office developed,” he said, “and continues to be an important part of our programming model each year.”

Participants select a paper stocking with the name and age of a child living at the Boys and Girls Harbor for whom they gather two to three stocking stuffer items. In turn, SEA hosts a gift-wrapping party to prepare the collected donations.

“After wrapping the stocking stuffer gifts,” Byars said, “the volunteers will take them to the Boys and Girls Harbor for their annual holiday party that the Harbor puts on for the children.”

Meanwhile, Byars said SEA aims to grow the number of donations collected each year, but he stressed the group’s commitment to cultivating important qualities in participants.

“We are hoping to develop a sense of community-minded leadership in our students,” he said, “while giving back to the community we belong to.”

Participants can pick up stockings beginning on Nov. 27. Donations will be accepted until the drive ends on Dec. 11. The stocking pickup and drop off location is Room 115 of the Student Center (S11) on the South Campus.