Project Impact

Making a difference in the community

On September 5th, 2024, Union Adventist University hosted its yearly community service event titled Project Impact. Their mission was to give back to the community through a variety of different service projects. This year was Union’s 42nd time hosting the event. 

Originally, Project Impact was called Project Brush and had the objective of painting homes for disabled residents in Lincoln. In 1991, the name of the event changed to Project Impact to better describe their goal. Pastor David Kabanje, Union’s Campus Chaplain, shared that the mission of this event is to “impact our community for Christ”. This is what students and volunteers worked to uphold as they participated. 

This year, Union was able to gather over 500 students and volunteers from the College View community to participate in this impactful project. There were 34 different service projects in the City of Lincoln which students and volunteers could choose from.  This included landscaping at Allon Chapel and Clinton Elementary, litter clean up at different parks such as Antelope Park and Holmes Lake Park, organizing clothes at the Barnabas Community Free Store, cleaning at the Bennet Martin Public Library, and spending time with children at Educare Lincoln. Students were able to learn and grow their skills of service from the experience.

Quinn Gillespie, a Union Adventist University student, volunteered at the Hope Venture, where she helped prepare for the “Night of Hope” in which the organization promotes health and education for children in Africa. When asked about her experience, she said, “It was a unique perspective not necessarily interacting with the community directly but getting to do the behind-the-scenes work which is sometimes forgotten, but equally as important”.

Another student at Union Adventist University also felt impacted by the experience when volunteering at Educare Lincoln. Madison Prokosch said, "I'm studying to be a teacher so I felt it was very impactful to my life and future career in service getting to spend time with kids during their developmental stages”. When describing the event to newcomers, the Dean of Students, Stacy Stocks, says that when Lincoln needs community service volunteers, they think of Union Adventist University. This demonstrates that Lincoln could always count on Union. These small acts can make a difference in individuals’ lives. Through events like Project Impact, Union gives students the opportunity to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus.

by Olivia Sweet