The University’s First Year Service Project hosted Jail Bail on Tuesday, Nov. 12, to raise over $700 to aid local soup kitchens and to help families in need during the holiday season. The event was held in the back of the Rebecca Stafford Student Center (RSSC) from 12 – 4 pm.
The event required the participation of students, faculty and administrators on the campus, with people waiting in jail until they were bailed out. Volunteers sat behind the bars of a makeshift prison in the cafeteria of the RSSC and collected donations so that they could be freed.
In order to be bailed out, students were required to collect a total of $25, while faculty and administrators had to collect a total of $50.
Mike Migliaro, a senior communication major and one of the inmates, said, “It was truly a great experience to raise money for people that need help supporting their families. My strategy to raise money was to be loud, energetic and have a good time in jail.” Migliaro was an inmate for a duration of Jail Bail.
Jail Bail was led by sophomores Deana Getty, Colleen Walsh, Peter Linn, and Jamie Tisch. These students, all of whom have stayed with the First Year Service Project since their freshman year, were responsible for brainstorming, creating the jail, promoting the event, and running the bank.
“We have an incredible group of students this year who have done not only this fundraising but [they] also helped build a playground in Red Bank two weekends ago and planned a coat drive that collected over 100 coats,” said Susan Damaschke, Coordinator of Transition and Leadership Programs and the overseer of the First Year Service Project. Damaschke advised the organization and planning procedures of Jail Bail.
Jail Bail was put together by the First Year Service Project. The First Year Service Project is an organization on campus that aims to get students involved in community service during their first year at the University.
Deanna Getty, a sophomore health studies major, works for the First Year Service Project and explained that the organization does a lot to try to help with homelessness and hunger. Getty started becoming involved last year as a first year student and stuck with the program.
This event is one of many that are part of the First Year Service Project’s 33.08 campaign. The campaign got its name 33.08 because $33.08 is approximately how much money it takes to feed an average family of four each Thanksgiving. The First Year Service Project has participated in the campaign during the past four years, each year finding different ways to raise money for their cause. So far this year, the 33.08 campaign has included the Jail Bail and a bake sale. They are also working with an academic class that is holding a food drive, as well as with the University’s Residential Life to promote Residence Assistant programming.
According to Damaschke, all of the food and proceeds raised by the campaign go to different agencies, including a food drive sponsored by Long Branch Middle School, the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties and a soup kitchen in Red Bank called Lunch Break. “It is incredibly important to donate to these causes as they provide food directly to families during the holiday season, as well as throughout the year,” Damaschke said.
Last year, the First Year Service Project made almost $1,200 through 33.08 programming. They used the money they raised to donate it to the local food bank, as well as to Long Branch Middle School efforts. There will be more efforts for this year’s campaign especially during the upcoming weeks as the holiday season gets closer.
PHOTO COURTESY of Jennifer Ruggiero
