Kristin Covey

 

"A little over two years ago, I was looking to run my first 5k. The race I signed up for benefitted a program called SUNY Adirondack CARES, which I had never heard of before. Shortly after that, I went through a very difficult time in my life. I was encouraged to look into the SUNY Adirondack CARES program but it took me a while to come aro und to the idea.

I'm not really the type of person who asks for things like this; I have always found giving to be much more gratifying than receiving. I filled out the SUNY Adirondack CARES application and the program gifted me funds. To say that I was thankful for this gift is an understatement. I was able to use the money to buy a winter coat for myself and necessities for my children that I would not have been able to buy otherwise.

I am in a better place now, so I decided I wanted to give back to the program that helped me and that meant so much to me. I gave back to SUNY Adirondack CARES for the first time 8 months ago, but it wasn't enough to just donate once, I wanted to continue giving.

I talked it over with my boys who are 5 and 9 and asked for th eir help. I usually give away all of my empty bottles because I never wanted to bother with the time it takes to collect and return them, but we decided we would take those bottles and use the money from ret urning them to donate to SUNY Adirondack CARES. We don't just save our empty bottles, we c lean up our road and collect all of the bottles that we find. I am a beverage server at the casino and I receive a lot of change. I used to hate change but now I love it.

I combine all of my change with the money my boys and I get from returning bottles and put it in a savings account that I have set up specifically for the SUNY Adirondack CARES program. It is so exciting watching it grow and watching my boys learn the true meaning of altruism through our family working together to give back.

I feel extremely honored to be part of a college that shows such compassionate support for its students. It means so much to me to be able to give back to SUNY Adirondack CARES in the hopes that it will make as much of a difference in someone else's life as it did in mine."

Kristin Covey
Business Administration, Class of 2014
B.A. Psychology, SUNY Plattsburgh, Class of 2016

#HumansofSUNYADK
#experienceitforyourself