By: Christina Isbania

The Giving Tree club had its annual PB and J outreach in Detroit in conjunction with Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth on October 21. This special event not only feeds and clothes those who are less fortunate, but also creates a feeling of gratefulness for the things the members of the Giving Tree Club already have.

“It felt enlightening to be there, and being able to talk to them and have them feel noticed,” said junior Gabi Tibbenham, who’s been in Giving Tree for almost one year. Tibbenham has also been involved in the “Fleece and Thank You” drive, where blankets are collected and donated to children at the hospital.

Junior Jazlyn Whitmore has been a part of Giving Tree since her freshman year and has done the PB and J Outreach multiple times. Whitmore recalled that her first time participating in the outreach gave her “a feeling of joy to see many people be so thankful for little things” which made her want to continue being involved. After having participated so many times, seeing new people come along makes her proud of those who help. “It’s so nice to see our generation growing to help those who don’t have as much as we do,” said Whitmore.

Junior Juliana Nguyen, who has done the PB and J Outreach four times, mentioned “I love seeing new faces that help create a positive outcome for the future and I hope to see more people come along to help and donate.” Nguyen said she loves this event because “it gives her a sense of gratitude for everything she has. It was heartwarming to see how sweet everyone was for the smallest things we gave them.” Nguyen looks forward to continue making a change and agrees that if each person helps giving out with even the smallest things, then together, everyone can make a huge difference.