Penn STEM Academy Student Earns $1,400 Donation for HOPE Ministries

Posted on December 17, 2015

Sophomore STEM Academy student Kaitlin “Kait” Kelsey talks to her class about the $1,400 donation to HOPE Ministries.

Thanks to one industrious engineering Penn High School student, South Bend’s HOPE Ministries received $1,400!

As a member of Everence, Kaitlin “Kait” Kelsey participated in the Everence Week of Generosity to secure the valuable donation for HOPE.

On Thursday (Dec. 17) morning, Kait presented Jessie Klein, Director of Community Relations for HOPE Ministries, with the check. Klein praised the all-female Intro to Engineering Design for their passion, compassion and ingenuity.

Jessie Klein, Director of Community Relations for HOPE Ministries, praises & thanks the all-female engineering class for their creativity & compassion.

The sophomore STEM Academy student earned the donation by participating in Canstruction (the October food drive event held at University Park Mall which also benefited HOPE Ministries). Kait and her fellow all-female engineering classmates designed and built a “Rosie the Riveter” sculpture for the canned food drive/engineering event. The team chose Rosie the Riveter because they it illustrated their drive, initiative and power as young women. Kait and her team collected approximately 3,500 cans of corn, beans, soups and tuna to create Rosie the Riveter earning them the “Voters’ Choice” award and “Best Meal” award.

“Rosie the Riveter” Canstruction design at University Park Mall (October 2015).

Each year, Everence offices across the country organize generosity events in order to give back to communities through the organizations that members care about. The funds come from a combination of the Everence corporate tithe, money Everence would otherwise pay in taxes and individual contributions.

The Michiana Everence Fraternal Chapter, a board of Everence members, organizes the Week of Generosity, which each year focuses on different areas within the eight-county region. This year, the board focused on St. Joseph County, Indiana, and Everence members volunteered at Transformation Ministries, Hope Ministries, Ten Thousand Villages, St. Joseph County Bridges out of Poverty, Southfield Villages, St. Joseph Habitat for Humanity and Food Bank of Northern Indiana.

About Everence
Everence helps individuals, organizations and congregations integrate finances with faith through a national team of advisors and representatives. Everence offers banking, insurance and financial services with community benefits and stewardship education. Everence is a ministry of Mennonite Church USA and other churches. To learn more, visit www.everence.com.

About HOPE Ministries
Hope Ministries is more than just a homeless shelter. Its vision, mission and philosophy is to heal the whole person, not just treat the symptoms. So while providing basic material needs to residents, such as shelter, food and clothing; the faith-based center also provides counseling services for families, job readiness, addiction recovery and an adult education program. To learn more about HOPE Ministries, visit www.hopesb.org

Last Modified January 12, 2022