Find Property:
Image Alt

Uptown East Apartments, Valparaiso, IN | Valpo's Best Living Experience!

Discover Why Hilltop is VU’s Favorite Foundation for Volunteerism

If you go to VU, you’ve probably heard of Hilltop. Somehow they make an appearance everywhere around this city, and soon that stranger name will turn into someone you know. In this blog, you’re going to find out why Hilltop is VU’s favorite charity for volunteerism.

Students at Valparaiso Univeristy love to volunteer

Students at Valparaiso University love to volunteer. A big part of what makes our school different from others is that our students get so much more involved with service and the community. Hilltop has been the foundation that students have chosen as their favorite to volunteer at.

What does Hilltop do for the community?

Hilltop services the less fortunate families in Valparaiso.

They have a childcare center that takes care of, feeds, and educates people 6 weeks through 5 years old, and they do this full-time, year-round.

They also have a food pantry that feeds anyone in need, including VU students. You’re able to pick out whatever you would like to eat, and that includes both stored food items as well as fresh ones. You get to pick your items in confidentiality. Only one person is allowed in the pantry at a time.

Hilltop serves Valparaiso's community

Where is Hilltop located?

For those of you who don’t know, Hilltop is located right next to VU’s old campus, or what many of you know as the Law School. Hilltop is just across the street from university property.

VU’s involvement

Hilltop was actually founded 25 years ago by Valparaiso University students and faculty. Ever since its creation, Hilltop has had a phenomenal relationship with the university.

Currently, Hilltop is the largest supplier of interns for VU. It’s great because the work you do here truly gives back to the community. You’re helping kids and the hungry who wouldn’t have such a blessing without you. And that’s the truth. Hilltop can only afford to run because so many students choose to volunteer here.

Of those that volunteer, most students work in the classrooms and help the teachers directly with the little kids. Other students help run the pantry.

VU students volunteer to help kids at Hilltop

My Experience

The childcare center

I took a tour of both the childcare center and the pantry recently with the CEO of the organization. What I saw was moving. You have all of these innocent babies and little kids just going about their lives. They all seem so happy. Each room I entered where the kids were old enough to talk, I was greeted me with unreal excitement.

I was in one classroom for about 5 minutes just watching the kids learn math, and upon leaving, one younger girl screamed, “Bye Matt!!”. It was a nice feeling for someone who heard my name just one time amidst all of the chaos to remember it. She’s going places with that memory.

Throughout my tour I saw VU students interacting with the kids in each room. I could see that their work was really needed, and that they help make the kids happy.

Children at Hilltop's child center appreciate VU volunteers

The pantry

The pantry was really impressive. In the front, there was a line of people waiting to get in.

I entered through the back at the same time a local grocery store was delivering hundreds of items. It was really neat to see. Inside the pantry is like a little grocery store. There is such a variety and such a large number of items on the shelves. On the side there was this high-tech-looking fridge, and inside it was a bunch of fresh produce. There was even milk. I also met another one of the interns who seemed glad to be helping.

Upon leaving the pantry, I was shown one last thing. It was a large van known as Project 64. The 64 refers to the 64 hours that kids are away from school over the weekend. In some families, the kids may only eat what they get for free from school lunches. Project 64 is basically a mobile food pantry, and it’s aim is to feed these people who aren’t eating so well over the weekend.

Project 64 feeds Valparaiso's hungry on the weekends

The Taste of Uptown East

Last month you had the opportunity to meet the CEO of Hilltop, Jennifer Wright, at the Taste of Uptown East. The event hosted international food from Valparaiso’s best restaurants, and one lucky student won free rent at Uptown East for a year.

If you missed the event, Don Quijote’s charity dinner will still be happening on December 8th. 100% of the proceeds will go towards Hilltop’s food pantry.

Matt Jano Janesheski

Matt Jano Janesheski

 

Post a Comment