Lioness group donates to MacSOC community outreach
Front row: Sue Ann Dix (President of Lioness Club), Kelsi Cui, Elizabeth Di Giacomo.
Back row: Members of Lioness Club: Mary Johnson, Shirley Saccamano, Karen Coulter (hiding) Betty Galley, Elizabeth Jackson, Colleen Harrison, Chris Salt, Jo-Ann Smith, Lise Perrault, Sandra Coe, Marie Kobolinski, Debbie Sidoruk, Sandy Cribben and Jodi Cliff. Missing from this photograph is Past President Becky Fairfield whose choice it was to donate to MacSoc.
The Dundas Lioness Club has donated $5,000 to support McMaster Student Outreach Collaborative (“MacSOC”). MacSOC provides free food, clothing, basic personal needs and health information to people who are homeless or marginally housed in Hamilton. They operate out of a space in a downtown church.
The Lioness Club is a women’s service club. Its president, Sue Anne Dix, describes the group as “a charitable organization. Our main purpose is to help those who are in need. We raise money in order to serve others. The young ladies from MacSOC came out and spoke to us, and told us about the program they run. We were very impressed with what they do.”
Nursing student and MacSOC president Elizabeth Di Giacomo says the generous gift will have a big impact. “We’re really grateful. It’s a significant and substantial donation. We have ideas on ways to improve what we do and to make sure we can continue.”
Students, staff and faculty members from across campus are involved. In the School of Nursing, MacSOC plays a special role. Nursing students can engage with MacSOC as part of their first and second year service learning placements. This year, ten service learning students from courses 1K02 and 2K02 are working with MacSoc. BScN students also serve on the executive.
Di Giacomo joined MacSOC in her first year at McMaster. “I got involved because I was assigned to it as my service learning placement,” says Di Giacomo. “I started by helping with clothing donations, organizing the food and clothing tables, and conversing with community members.”
“We pride ourselves on the fact that we offer healthy food including sandwiches on whole wheat bread, bagged vegetables and fruit. Community members really appreciate that.”
Although her service learning placements ended after two years, Di Giacomo chose to stay involved with MacSOC. “As a nursing student, I think empathy is a bit of a skill. MacSOC has allowed me to develop that. And it’s allowed me to develop strong communication abilities with individuals who might on the surface seem challenging to communicate with. We see community members who struggle with mental illness of various types. I’ve been able to break through the anxiety that comes with communicating with them. I can transfer that to my patients in the hospital setting. We also have the opportunity to do health teaching at MacSOC and that’s part of the reason it’s a fantastic service learning placement. Many of the individuals come on a weekly basis and they get to know the students. It’s a way to break out of the school bubble. Students spend a lot of time focussing on school and trying to get the best marks possible. By attending MacSOC, you can focus on someone else. It’s very rewarding.”
For more information about MacSOC, which was founded in 1999 by two nursing students, visit: MacSOC.
Community, Students, Undergraduate Program