The SkillsUSA chapter at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies (The Center) recently completed their annual “3 Ways, 2 Days, 1 Impact from SkillsUSA” community service project. This year they partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities and Prisma Health Children’s Hospital – Midlands.
Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, SkillsUSA members from The Center came together on February 8th to create 450 bagged meals for families in need, then donated them on February 10th to the Pack-a-Smile program at the Ronald McDonald House in Columbia. The lunches included non-perishable items like granola bars, fruit cups, cookies and an entrée. The program offers meals to families with a child in the hospital, with no cost to the families. The Center’s SkillsUSA chapter also held a virtual toy drive which rendered over $1,100 in toys that were delivered to the children’s hospital on February 17th. The Center’s Culinary Arts Program also put together fruit baskets that were provided to the doctors and nurses at the hospital.
“Our student members and leaders are always finding new and amazing ways to give back to our community through selfless service,” said SkillsUSA Lead Advisor Joseph Chapman. “Despite everything that has occurred over the last year, forcing us to adapt, our awesome students have found opportunities to be a part of change and service in our community. I am incredibly proud, as always, of who they all are becoming.”
SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen our nation’s skilled workforce. SkillsUSA has more than 372,000 annual members nationwide in high schools, middle schools and colleges, covering over 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and is recognized by the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor as integral to career and technical education. For more information please visit, www.skillsusa.org.
