(Photo by: Aubrey May & Grace Bonness)

With the holiday season around the corner, the thought of how much money goes into the festivities is on everyone’s mind. For those who can’t afford to buy gifts, JCCC Gives allows those families to experience that part of the holiday season.

Similar to an Angel Tree, students, faculty and staff are nominated to receive what they need for the holiday season, according to Student Life Coordinator Mo Rammel.

“I think this year we had 21 people nominated, and then right now I think we have 13 people that have responded that they were nominated,” Rammel said. “Usually we hit around 17 to 19 different families, and those [families] have different dependents and partners.”

In order to afford the gifts given to these nominated families, the Student Senate helps fundraise. They have partnered with Cane’s and Chick-fil-a and are gearing up for their biggest fundraiser of the year, the JCCC Gives Market, which will take place on Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the COM Atrium.

“Students will do a bake sale with our senators on our exec board, and so we just sell baked goods to our students in order to help fundraise. And it’s whenever the students are able to donate in order to buy our baked goods,” Rammel said. “Then some students will donate money towards it, and they might not buy anything because they don’t want to.”

According to the Student Senate website, “individuals will be available for adoption via the Giving Tree in the Center for Student Involvement (GEB 117) or online through the Signup Genius link.” The deadline for adoptions is Dec. 8. You can also donate online or in person in COM 100 until Dec. 15.

When it comes to adoptions, Rammel explained that some faculty and staff who are able and in the giving spirit can buy gifts directly for the nominated individuals through Signup Genius.

“We have a lot of faculty and staff here because I think there’s 600 employees that work at JCCC. So some of them decide to help buy some of the stuff, and then it just gets sent directly here, and then we actually will wrap it like a Christmas present, and then they (the nominated individuals) pick them up before they leave for winter break,” Rammel said. “So it’s really such a fun, awesome, giving back [opportunity], especially when people get the gifts, and there’s a lot of emotions that happen.”

JCCC Gives helps remove the stigma of asking for help for families who are in need this holiday season. According to Rammel, it also helps show how giving JCCC can be by being able to impact and bring the holiday spirit to those families.

“It really just makes the most for those individuals and those families that might not be able to have that opportunity,” Rammel said. “So I think that’s something that gives us perspective to be grateful for the things that we get.”

Director of Student Life & Leadership and previous Student Senate Advisor, Anne Turney, explained that she is no longer closely working with the market, but that the work they do is notable.

“I am proud of the work and care Student Senate puts into the market, and how the campus community comes together to support is very humbling,”  Turney said.

Rammel explained how meaningful and rewarding it is for her to be a part of what JCCC Gives is doing. She believes it is important for people to know that there are options available to give back to the community.

“For me, [the best part is] getting to mentor and coach our students to be able to do all these fundraisers and to understand the meaning behind it… There are people out there that might be struggling, and [we want] to make sure that we can just make their day a little more special,” Rammel said. “So I think that instilling that hope that, you know, we’re able to get back to our community and our students and our faculty and staff that might be affected by some of these things.”

Turney said the Gives Market is more than just a fundraiser; it’s an opportunity for the JCCC community to come together.

“What began as a silent online auction has grown into a cherished annual tradition that strengthens connections and celebrates giving,” Turney said.