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donations and took the money raised – nearly $600 to date – and donated it to victims of last May’s flood. In
Junior journalism major Kevin Heim used his $10 for stamps to mail donation letters to his family and friends. He matched the donations and was able to purchase 1,168 pounds of food for second Harvest Food Bank of Middle tennessee. Belmont staff member Kristy Collins took her $20 and bought ingredients to make cupcakes. she sold them and collected more than $400. through the samaritan’s Purse catalog, her $20 and a day of baking cupcakes provided two goats, 1,000 fish, 60 fruit trees and three dozen chicks to impoverished areas.
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With the help of an anonymous donor, over $9,000 was distributed to a surprised audience at a convocation event in september which kicked off “Living a Better story,” a new initiative to teach students about giving.
the project was introduced by donald Miller, author of New York Times bestseller, Blue Like Jazz. Miller addressed students at the event and talked of how to write a better story for your life, a theme woven throughout his latest book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. in an effort to educate students on the importance of giving, Belmont challenged upper $ classmen to live a better story by making a difference in the lives of others. those who attended the convocation received a packet with a $5, $10 or $20 bill. students who took a packet were instructed to use the $ following 21 days to determine how to multiply the amount and do something meaningful with it.
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the experience has been described as “life changing” by numerous participants who found creative ways to increase the amount given to them. students blogged about their experiences and reconvened at an event to share their stories three weeks after the launch. Miller again joined Belmont, this time via skype, to hear how participating students multiplied their money. Claire Hartford, a graduate student in the department of education, took her $5 and, combined with her own donation, purchased face paints. she spent the next few saturdays at a Nashville park painting faces for
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the Living a Better story concept was first introduced at Brentwood United Methodist Church in Brentwood, tenn., when the church handed out over $25,000 to congregation members with the same challenge of multiplying it and giving it to someone in need. From this formed the Living a Better story Foundation which approached Belmont to be the first participating university in the project. Based on student response at Belmont, the foundation hopes to launch this program at additional schools across the country.
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Meanwhile, the story at Belmont is just beginning. Beginning fall 2011, the Living a Better story program will be incorporated into Belmont’s General education curriculum during students’ sophomore year as a common intellectual and academic experience shared by every student in every program of study. n
To read more students’ Living a Better Story experiences, visit www.belmont.edu/livingabetterstory.
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