‘Tis the season for giving, and Temple has been doing its part to give back to the community. Multiple charitable initiatives throughout the holiday season have brought food, toys, books and other necessities to hundreds of needy families in Temple’s neighborhood and around the world.

“Many members of the Temple community create projects designed to empower others through volunteerism and donation of goods,” said Assistant Vice President for Community Relations and Economic Development Beverly Coleman. “I’m pleased to be part of an institution that is not only a leader in the academic world, but in volunteer efforts as well.”

Members of the Temple community ramped up community projects beginning in November. Students, faculty and staff from each of Temple’s campuses have contributed their time and money this year to help make others’ holidays a little brighter.

Local children are a major beneficiary of Temple’s efforts. Campus Safety Services collected more than 360 toys for kids who attended its Children’s Holiday Party, held on Dec. 4 at the Liacouras Center. Grandma’s Kids, an after-school program run by the Intergenerational Center, is having a party of its own on Dec. 17 that will be attended by 85-100 local children, each of whom will also receive a donated gift. A joint effort from the Alumni Association, the Black Alumni Alliance and the College of Education has so far collected more than 600 books for local elementary schools. (Donations will be accepted through Dec. 31; see myowlspace.com/bookdrive for details.)

Philadelphia food bank Philabundance has received a wealth of support from across Temple. Faculty, staff and students at Ambler Campus contributed more than 200 pounds of food through the WMMR Camp Out For Hunger initiative, which benefitted Philabundance. On Main Campus, the College of Liberal Arts has collected several large boxes of food, and TUCC, whose drive for Philabundance will last through Dec. 20, has nearly filled its large collection jar with monetary donations.

Initiatives at Ambler raised more than $1,500 in November toward Thanksgiving dinners for more than 70 needy families, and Ambler’s Military Appreciation Project has collected personal and small gift items to send to troops overseas.

Although charitable giving receives a greater push during the holiday season, Temple makes a point to contribute year-round, beginning each semester with a day of service — FreshServe in the fall and Martin Luther King Day of Service in the spring — and offering opportunities to give back all through the year, contributing more than 46,000 hours of service annually. For more information on volunteering at Temple, visit www.temple.edu/community.

— Elizabeth DiPardo