By Sophia Rose Young<\/p>\n
HAYS, Kan. — Scrolling through her Facebook feed, Stacy Cairns-Abdein, a Virtual College student at Fort Hays State University earning her Master of Professional Studies in social entrepreneurship, saw an opportunity to help a friend who simply asked the virtual world if anyone knew of an organization in Alabama collecting donations for Syrian refugees.<\/p>\n
“No one did, so I decided that I would try to set up a small winter clothing drive,” said Cairns-Abdein.<\/p>\n
Cairns-Abdein did a little research and found that Helping Hand, a non-profit in Atlanta, had a container shipping to the refugee camps in Jordan at the end of November.<\/p>\n
“I contacted Helping Hand to work out the logistics of getting the donations from Birmingham to Atlanta,” said Cairns-Abdein. “I asked my local mosque if I could use their facilities as a drop-off center, set up a Facebook page and then printed off fliers.”<\/p>\n
Cairns-Abdein’s small intention to help a Facebook friend donate turned into hours of physical labor.<\/p>\n
“In only 10 days, we gathered enough winter clothing and supplies to fill over 200 large boxes and fill a U-Haul. The majority of donations were brand new, and the estimated total value was over $250,000,” said Cairns-Abdein. “We gathered an equal amount of clothing that is more appropriate for milder weather and we have those in storage to send to refugees that may relocate to the U.S.”<\/p>\n
Items being saved for possible refugees who relocate to the U.S. include brand new business suits, household items, backpacks and children’s shoes.<\/p>\n
Friends and strangers helped spread the word. Cairns-Abdein’s mother, sister and three daughters worked tirelessly for more than 30 hours sorting and packing.<\/p>\n
“In addition, the Birmingham Interfaith Community were very supportive,” said Cairns-Abdein.<\/p>\n
For the past few years, Dr. Keith Campbell, professor of sociology at FHSU, has taught several courses that Cairns-Abdein enrolled, but it was during her first M.P.S. course in the fall of 2015 with Campbell when Cairns-Abdein realized that “programs and projects to help others are just as important at the grass roots level as they are on a national or international level.”<\/p>\n
“Dr. Campbell helped me refocus my attention to smaller, community-based projects with the realization that they can make just as much difference in the world. This realization actually helped me refocus my career aspirations and I am currently working to develop my own local social services organization in the Birmingham area,” said Cairns-Abdein.<\/p>\n
It was Campbell and a global challenges course with Andree Brisson, instructor of interdisciplinary studies, which directly influenced Cairns-Abdein’s decision to pursue social entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n
Cairns-Abdein received her bachelor’s in general studies with a concentration in human services from FHSU along with certificates in community development and cultural anthropology and globalization. Cairns-Abdein currently works as a freelance grant proposal writer and substitute elementary school teacher. She is actively looking for full-time work in the non-profit sector.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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