Game on at the Johnson County Community College Gives Event. Come bump, set, spike at the Johnson County Gives 2026 Event. Together we rise, together we spike at the Johnson County Gives Event. Photo By: Josiah Ann Nelson

The student senate is kicking off JCCC Gives for 2026 by hosting Launch on the Lawn. JCCC Gives raises money for a campus-wide holiday assistance program for students, faculty, and staff. Launch on the Lawn will occur at Fountain Square on Oct. 8, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.  

“I’m looking forward to people coming and supporting students who could face financial difficulties during the holidays,” said Priviledge Mudzembwe, interim executive board member of the Student Senate. “Also, the community coming and donating money.” 

The Student Senate wanted to do something this year to increase visibility for JCCC Gives and host a kickoff party to celebrate the annual giving event. The event will help raise awareness of JCCC Gives, and the senate hopes to kick off the JCCC Gives year by raising more funds. All donations raised go toward JCCC Gives.  

JCCC Gives is a campus-wide holiday assistance program that supports members of the JCCC community who face hardships. JCCC students, faculty, and staff can nominate fellow students, faculty, or staff members who may need extra support during the holiday season.  

Ashley Calibo, serving on the interim executive board of the Student Senate, said that anyone experiencing financial hardship is eligible for nomination.  

“Nominations for JCCC Gives will open in October, and then adoptions will begin in early November,” Calibo said.  

Then community members can select individuals to help. It is like an angel tree but the entire process is done online.  

“So we’ll have a SignUpGenius for everyone to adopt someone from that form,” Calibo said. “It’ll specify whether it’s an adult or a child, and then the item that they would like.” 

Launch on the Lawn will feature a team volleyball tournament with a suggested donation of $100 per team, a cornhole tournament with a suggested donation of $30 per team, and a club penny wars competition, with every penny raised going toward JCCC Gives.  

“We are trying to make it more exciting by giving prizes to the winners,” Mudzembwe said. “We’re also trying to give free pizzas to the clubs that win the penny wars.” 

In addition to the Launch on the Lawn, the Student Senate will host an event on Nov. 18 called the JCCC Gives market. That event will feature homemade goods made by local businesses.   

“The market is going to be, you know, the community coming together to sell things they create,” Calibo said. “That money from the JCCC Gives market is going to go back to the Student Senate.”