One of the annual events put on by the School of Nursing (SoN) during the holiday season is the Giving Tree. During this event, the SoN gathers gift donations from the PLU community and donates them to a selected nonprofit organization.
This year, the event is hosted by the PLU nursing club Delta Iota Chi (DIC), and donations are being sent to Shades of Divinity, a nonprofit organization with the mission to “Promote Reproductive Justice and equity in Washington State by uplifting BIPOC families,” as stated on their website.
The Founder of Shades of Divinity, Shannel Brown, received her Associate’s in Pre-Nursing degree from Pierce College here in Tacoma and a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Seattle University.
Brown comments, “Our vision is rooted in the belief that every family should have equitable access to essential resources with minimal barriers.” She continues, “To achieve this, we provide services that promote Social Determinants of Health protective factors while actively denouncing the systemic structures that have disproportionately impacted Black Indigenous People of Color.”
President of DIC, Isabella Bernas, comments, “Representation is so important for young minds to see, and so dolls, books, and toys that show people of color are some of the amazing gifts we are giving.” She continues to say, “Items such as diapers, formula, and postpartum essentials will also be gifted.”
Brown expresses her gratitude to DIC saying, “Their willingness to support Shades of Divinity without hesitation speaks volumes about their commitment to community engagement and social justice.”
The Giving Tree is the Christmas tree located in the nursing building located off-campus on Garfield Street on the 2nd floor outside of Garfield 200. The donations will be going out from the nursing building on December 15th.
If you wish to donate, contact DIC via email at delta@plu.edu to coordinate a pickup of your donations.
