Deaira Lloyd is a double major studying Anthropology and Sociology and will be receiving her Certificate in the Social Dimensions of Health. She is in the BA/MA program of Applied Sociology and will be graduating this spring.

Prior to joining Retriever Essentials, Fariha, the Program Coordinator/CCMA AmeriCorps VISTA, invited me to join the team as a Student Ambassador. Interestingly, around that time, I wanted to become more involved on campus and was reading about various organizations at UMBC. I felt that her initiation was my calling. 
 
I was not aware of the duties of the role, the term “food insecurity”, or the number of students at UMBC that suffered from it. After our first meeting last fall, I was intrigued to learn about the term and what I could do to eliminate it throughout college students’ experiences. 
 
My role as a Student Ambassador, PRAC Leader, and Food Pantry Manager has awakened me to the little things that add up to a life changing outcome. Initiatives such as the save-a-swipe program, donating non-perishable food items, and the volunteers transporting goods to numerous food zones has taught me the importance of working together to support a greater cause. It’s crucial that students who suffer from food insecurity are able to have a sense of belonging on campus, especially to a group that acknowledges and supports them.
 
Retriever Essentials has taught me that you can always help someone. Sharing a message, a canned good, time, support, anything, is worthy. This experience has made me perceive life more delicately as I witness students coming into the pantry creating their own food bag. You truly never know the struggles that someone is experiencing, and how your service helps them by simply being there. 
Being able to support a community of students who are in need of nutrition and other necessities is a very gracious, thoughtful, and moving feeling. I’m excited for the continuous expansion and purpose of Retriever Essentials, and I’m thankful for this humbling experience. 

See Tess's latest post from February 4th, 2020

VITA

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is an IRS sponsored program that provides free, on-campus tax return assistance to eligible individuals and families each Spring semester. Currently, to be eligible your household income must be $55,000 or less, you must be filing a US resident tax return and you must be able to show appropriate identification for all members of your household.

If you are interested in having your taxes prepared for free, go to http://cashmd.org/free-tax-preparationresources/ to make an appointment.  

If you select UMBC’s VITA site, your appointment will take place on the UMBC campus in the Apartment Community Center on Walker Avenue.

Attention International Students: If you would like to have tax return assistance, please contact Diane Zeenny Ghorayeb by email or go to the ME office in ENG 210. One special meeting will be set up for a group, date TBD. Let her know if you are interested by Friday 02/07.