Page 82 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2024

GIVING BACK
story and photo courtesy of MGCCC
MGCCC’S PI EPSILON CHAPTER AWARDED $1,000 PTK INTERNATIONAL GRANT
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s (MGCCC) Pi Epsilon Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa on the Jackson County Campus has been awarded a $1,000 Honors in Action grant from PTK International. The grant will help support the chapter’s 2024 Honors in Action project, which this year focuses on assisting the homeless population of Jackson County.
In partnership with the Community Care Network, Pi Epsilon is working to provide essential supplies for individuals experiencing homelessness or transitioning to stable housing. Through this project, collection boxes for toiletries, hygiene items, cold-weather gear, cookware, and other necessities have been placed at various businesses across Jackson County. Donations are gathered and delivered regularly to the Community Care Network, which distributes these essential items to those in need.
“We are thrilled to receive this grant and see it as a tremendous opportunity to deepen our impact on the Jackson
County community,” said Karen Scott, Pi Epsilon Chapter Advisor. “This project is about so much more than collecting supplies – it’s about inspiring empathy, raising awareness, and building stronger connections with those who may feel isolated. We hope our efforts can make a meaningful difference for individuals facing homelessness.”
The Honors in Action project, which each PTK chapter selects annually, combines academic research, problem-solving, and service to address pressing local or global issues. Pi Epsilon’s project has seen strong community support, and with the assistance of the grant, the chapter plans to purchase additional items to fulfill unmet needs.
The project concluded its supply drive on November 1, with a substantial number of items collected and distributed to support the Community Care Network’s mission. The chapter will submit their completed Honors in Action project to PTK’s International Headquarters in January 2025.
82 | December 2024
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