Suffolk Reporter

On November 8, the SAC Ballroom B at Stony Brook University was transformed into a workshop where students and student groups collaborated with local non-profit organizations to adapt donated toys for children with disabilities. By December 20, these adapted toys were delivered to three organizations: Angela’s House, AHRC Suffolk Educare, and United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island.

BME Assistant Professor Mei Lin ('Ete') Chan expressed her satisfaction with the initiative. She stated, “Seeing how excited and happy the children and their caregivers were as they unwrapped the special gifts and played with the adapted toys is a true testimony of our commitment to make a difference, not only in our community but also in developing our future leaders from the student body."

Chan highlighted the collaborative effort involved in this project. "It takes a village. Or, in our case," she said, "it is the collective effort of our university and the support from our industry and nonprofit partners." She looks forward to witnessing further positive impacts made by students.

The project exemplifies how academic institutions can partner with external entities to create meaningful contributions within their communities.

— Ellen Cooke