Communications

During the Cards for Caring program in December, USM AOP in Hattiesburg helped USM’s Sigma Alpha Lambda chapter with writing 163 cards for residents at nursing homes in Petal and Hattiesburg. In addition, AOP members on the Gulf Coast wrote cards for the U.S. Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport and three other long-term care facilities on the Coast.

Thanks to the generous cash and food donations to the Forest General Cancer Center Snack Fund, AOP was recently able to deliver free snacks for patients undergoing cancer treatment. To have something pleasant, such as a cookie or chips, during such an unpleasant time can bring comfort to patients in need.

Working with the Wesley Foundation and Sigma Alpha Lambda, the USM Association of Office Professionals distributed home-baked cakes and cookies to USM’s international students who are staying in Hattiesburg for the holidays. The Home-baked for the Holidays program, in its fourth year, helps bring joy to those far from home. We hope we made your holidays a little brighter! (image courtesy WDAM)

We all know that seniors in our area are in need. AOP recently provided some holiday cheer as well as necessities to seniors in a local nursing home, thanks to the generosity of its members and the Southern Miss community.

THANK YOU to the generous people who donated coats and other outerwear for our international students during our Coats for Comfort drive. Over 40 garments will be keeping them warm this winter! We would also like to acknowledge Town & Country Cleaners in Hattiesburg for their donation of cleaning for all the pre-owned coats.

Food insecurity is a reality. We need to help our students succeed. AOP put out the call, and people responded. In November, we delivered several boxes of food to the Eagles Nest Food Pantry on the Hattiesburg campus. Thank you for helping to make this food drive a success!