Written by Katelyn Peel. Originally appeared on IU South Bend Community Engagement Facebook - view here.
April is National Internship Awareness Month and National Volunteer Month, so for the month of April we will be highlighting IUSB student interns and volunteers from all over campus.
Meet Mya Perry - Mya is a junior atIndiana University South Bend majoring in Social Studies Education and minoring in History and Sociology. In addition to her studies, she also serves as a peer mentor for U100 classes, courses designed for first year college students. A few weeks ago, Mya along with her friends and fellow activists started South Bend Mutual Aid in order to serve South Bend residents affected by COVID-19. South Bend Mutual aid is a collective of neighbors and South Bend residents supporting the most vulnerable in our community, and those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are approximately 45 volunteers offering grocery and meal donations/delivery, prescription medicine delivery, free tutoring from the elementary level through college, childcare, dog walking, transportation, handyman work, music lessons, and translation services in Spanish, Mandarin, Taiwanese, German, Italian, and French. They are supported by food donations from local restaurants, and small donations from people in the community.
Mya believes that we all have an obligation to give as much or more than we take from the communities to which we belong. Through my work I have seen those who have been helped become helpers and built relationships with people I might have otherwise never known. Actively engaging your local community builds lasting connections and changes the lives of all those involved. All we have is each other, so we should strive to support the vulnerable among us.
