The University of New Haven’s Thanksgiving Week of Service was last week. The event was co-sponsored by the Center for Student Engagement, Leadership and Orientation (CSELO), dining services, and the Annual Giving Office, the university’s office for donating.

The week captured the spirit of giving back. The university held events such as donations for the senior class, and for Thanksgiving Baskets for the Habitat for Humanity, signing cards for alumni and faculty and staff, and a Thanksgiving dinner for all students.

Greg Overend, executive director for CSELO, said he thought students were receptive to the week’s events.

“Our students do a lot of community service, so I would assume they support this,” he said.

The university has been involved with Habitat for Humanity for a few years, starting when a student approached CSELO to start a recognized student organization (RSO) for Habitat.

“I know for several years now we’ve been receiving baskets to distribute out to our partner families,” said Allison Mangles, family services and volunteer coordinator for Habitat.

As for Thanksgiving, the University of New Haven is the only college that has partnered with Habitat for Humanity’s Greater New Haven area branch to give back to the community.

Habitat is an organization that partners with families, typically first time home buyers, to “build or rehab homes side by side with them,” said Mangles.

“We have three families who are spending their first holidays in their homes this year,” said Mangles. “We are in contact with all of our families even after they move into their houses. They’re all excited to host their first Thanksgiving and different gatherings. This time of year is all about family and friends and getting together and so now they have a place to do that.